With a nation deeply divided, the political landscape continues to heat up. One camp rooting for Donald Trump and the other camp rooting for Hillary Clinton, with an almost radical zealot zeal.

Have you ever noticed that we as humans continuously want to find a “king”? This is what disturbs me about these political campaigns, especially the election of the next President of the United States. Sure we call the show politics and the players politicians, but deep down inside we are trying to find leadership — a king. You know all the signs advertising the person’s name and crowds are chanting the names of their king-to-be. It’s as if we are working to establish a kingdom here on earth. Of course we show our support for our king-to-be in a non-violent way (wink wink), most of the time. Are you tracking with me?

In a sense we are transferring power from one kingdom to another and inevitability time reveals that all kings end up being the same. They live for their kingdom and not for us, the voters.

There’s something odd about us, isn’t there? Let’s rewind the tape back to ancient times when the people of Israel wanted a king and God tries to debate with them on how bad of an idea this was. God basically tells them that they don’t know what their asking for, but gives them what they want anyways. Here’s the rub…there is something inside all of us that wants to worship something, but we always seem to choose a “king” rather than choosing God.

When Samuel heard their demand — “Give us a king to rule us!” — he was crushed. How awful! Samuel prayed to God. God answered Samuel, “Go ahead and do what they’re asking. They are not rejecting you. They’ve rejected me as their King. From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they’ve been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods. And now they’re doing it to you. So let them have their own way. But warn them of what they’re in for. Tell them the way kings operate, just what they’re likely to get from a king.” -1 Samuel 8:6-9 (MSG)

Ok, let me put it another way. Jesus was celebrated when He entered Jerusalem because there is something hardwired in us to be a part of something bigger than we are. Right?

There is something inside of us that keeps on searching for what’s missing inside of us. What happens is that we create kings, super heroes, idols, celebrity icons and gods. The sad reality of this is that these things draw the worst out of us.

When Jesus strolls into Jerusalem, people wanted Him to be the kind of king that allowed them to be less rather than the king that would call them to be more. They literally expected Him to crush the entire Roman empire! …not save the world.

Ok, here is where I think the scriptures get a bit weird because Jesus rode into the city on a donkey. Seriously, a donkey? Talking about killing an epic moment! Ever had a picture in your mind of a king triumphantly parading into a city on a donkey? Of course not! The picture would be that of the king on a gallant stead with an army behind them, right? …so what gives here?

Let me ask you this. If this is who God really is, what does it say about us?

The dilemma here is that if Jesus came in on a gallant steed He would have the promise of power, authority and fury! He would protect our rights and crush the opposition, right?

It’s violating to us when Jesus redefines our definition of “greatness” to that of humility. It means that if you’re going to trust God with your life perhaps you need to get off of your high horse and get on your donkey. This challenges us at the very core because it requires us to choose a path away from the worldly; fame, self-centeredness, arrogance, violence, etc. To a path of service, self-service, humility and gentleness, etc. The donkey ruins everything, because it changes everything!

This is who Jesus is because it is who God is and it’s what we are to become! I think we want God to become someone that He won’t become. He will never be the one to justify our abuse of power, or our greed, or the darkness that hides within us. He is the God who didn’t come to fight the war we wanted Him to fight, but to fight the war that we didn’t know we could fight!

He didn’t come to conquer nations, empires and to reside in the White House…He came to rescue the human heart!

We’ve all bought into the lie that the only way to win is to defeat everyone else and Jesus is teaching us to sacrifice and serve others. Jesus knew all along that the victory would be found in the defeat. One of the cool things that Jesus reveals to us is that God is not a God who tries to power and rule over us with force and violence, but a God who has come to serve and give us life through His suffering and death. It was on the cross that would bring God to His most powerful moment where He would be crucified, buried and raised from the dead!

As the Israelite’s learned the hard way, the price they paid for their “king” is judged as far less than they will pay for being subject to other nations. What we don’t seem to understand is that God will protect us, if we repent of our sins, cry out for deliverance, and serve Him with our whole heart (2 Chronicles 7:14). Sadly, we’ve convinced ourselves that this is a price to be too high to be paid. We don’t want to give up our idols, “gods” and lifestyles — we don’t want to serve God alone. As a nation we don’t want God as our King, so we seek to replace both God and “lifestyle” by having a “king” like other nations.

To wrap this up…may you find a way to remove the desire to put your hope on earthly kings and focus and orient your heart towards the King of Kings! Our souls long for the God who created us and until that void is filled we will spend our lives creating other kings, other gods and other masters of our souls.

Sure, these are the two candidates we have to choose from (voting is a freedom we enjoy and it’s important!) and one of them will become the next President of the United States, but we need to stop with the “coronation” stuff. In the long run, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump (or any candidate) will leave you wanting and desperate if you put all your hope in them and proclaim them as “king”!

Spend less rooting for your candidate and more time on your knees before God praying for this nation…because that is where our hope will be found! “Put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore” (Psalm 131:3).