A national election will take place in the United Kingdom on July 4. As a British citizen, I’ll be voting. During the election campaign I have been watching TV debates between candidates and reading political commentary in various newspapers.
As a student of Christian Science, I am also taking time to seek a clearer understanding of God’s spiritual, harmonious, and ever-operative government.
During national elections, I frequently ponder this verse from Scripture: “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). This prophetic reference to Christ Jesus as the Messiah is a powerful affirmation of God’s supremacy, assuring us that the true government is upon the shoulder of “The mighty God, The everlasting Father.”
I’ve found that an understanding of God as all-knowing Mind, a scriptural name for God, is particularly helpful when considering political issues. In the spiritual universe that Mind creates and maintains, there is no strife, discord, or even competition. Mind, or God, maintains harmony, order, and peace – and these spiritual qualities are expressed through cooperation, mutual respect, and cohesion.
In particular, I’ve found it helpful to acknowledge that one infinite Mind is governing all its ideas, including each of us. In light of this spiritual understanding, we can pray to see that the election process – including the preparation and political campaigns, the voting procedures, and the outcome – expresses the unity and goodness of God.
Effective prayer doesn’t petition a distant God to bring about a specific outcome in some aspect of life, even a national election. Rather, prayer affirms the ever-present reign and authority of divine Mind. Prayer enables us to surrender a willful and personal sense of what an election outcome should be and trust Mind’s supreme authority and governance.
Personal sense – the concept that man is a mortal personality separate from God, with inevitably limited opinions and views – can seem prevalent during an election season, especially when vigorous political debates are taking place. Yet, as a material, personal sense of identity yields to an understanding of man’s true nature as the reflection of God, we will be better able to appreciate and enjoy our participation in the election process, and feel divinely guided.
In her major work, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” Mary Baker Eddy, founder of The Christian Science Monitor, writes, “Personality is not the individuality of man” (p. 491). Science and Health also states, “Material personality is not realism; it is not the reflection or likeness of Spirit, the perfect God” (p. 337).
Understanding man’s true spiritual identity as God’s likeness doesn’t mean that we should disengage from political activity or become apathetic about voting. Nor should we simply ignore any consideration of individual character with regard to those men and women seeking election to public office. On the contrary, this spiritual discovery can help us focus more clearly on the issues being debated and enable us to express wisdom and perspicacity when casting our vote.
There was a time when I had a strong affiliation to a political party in the UK. If that party failed to win during a national election, I would be disappointed. More recently, however, I’ve been able to vote with greater freedom and trust, knowing that, regardless of who wins an election, in truth God reigns, Mind governs. This willingness to acknowledge God’s supremacy during elections has also enabled me to prayerfully support the government of whichever party has been elected.
An understanding of God’s spiritual government helps us change our perception of a national election as simply voting into office a candidate or a political party. Prayer can enable us to comprehend more fully that the one supreme, all-encompassing Mind is embracing everyone – including all candidates in an election – in its own spiritual purpose and design of goodness for all.
In the Bible, the psalmist praises God this way: “The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty;… Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting” (Psalms 93:1, 2). Elections provide us with opportunities to deepen our understanding of the ways in which God governs, guides, and protects nations and peoples. We can humbly and persistently acknowledge that Mind, God, reigns. The government is truly upon His shoulder.
