On November 3, America will choose a President.  It may be our existing President Donald Trump elected to another 4-year term.  Or it may be that we elect former Vice-President Joe Biden to a term.

I’m not good at making political predictions, so I won’t even make a guess.  What I do want to do is to address both candidates.  And I want to address the citizens of this nation that I love.

To Donald Trump and Joe Biden:  I ask you both to win or lose graciously.  Our nation has been deeply divided, and it will be the job of both the winner and the loser to help restore peace and unity.  Please show respect to your opponent and accept the election results without bitterness, anger, or accusations.  A nation such as ours requires that we abide by the will of the voters and it requires, when it occurs, a peaceful transfer of power.  Win or lose, we need both of you to show respect for the nation, the voters, and the election process.  You have within your power the ability to further divide us or to promote healing.  Be wise and peaceful in your victory or defeat. 

To the winner:  I won’t agree with you on all issues, but I will accept you as the leader of our nation.  When I disagree with you (and I will, since I am a man of many strong opinions), I will do so respectfully.   I will pray for you, for I want you—for the good of the nation—to be successful.  You will be my president, whether your last name is Trump or Biden.  I won’t play the game that so many people play, “He’s not my President; I didn’t vote for him!”  You will be my President.  Please do your best to be a good, honest, and strong man of faith, prayer, integrity, peace, and wisdom.

To our citizens:  Accept the reality that whoever wins the election will be our President.  Feel free to disagree with him, as long as you can do so respectfully.  Pray for him, for the job he has been elected to do may be the toughest job in the world today, and we need him to succeed.   Please drop the threats to leave our country if you don’t get your way.  And drop the hints of a revolution or a civil war if your candidate doesn’t win.  As Americans, we don’t agree with each other on many issues and that is our right. Nevertheless, I still believe that—no matter who our next President is and no matter which party is in power—the United States of America is a country worth loving, serving, protecting, and respecting.  We all need to act that way.

We have been a deeply divided nation; I don’t want that to continue.  For peace to prevail, we need the cooperation of President Trump, Former President Biden, and all Americans.

Pray for peace.  And act peacefully.

Respectfully,

Pastor Jack Marslender