We are in uncertain times. The election of 2020 in many states has not been determined. We are waiting for the announcement to take place. We wait. We pray. We hope. Some of you want one candidate to win. Others want another.

We have a few people who come and pray in our home once a week. We’ve been singing at least one hymn each time we meet. Last week, we sang, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” one I’m sure most of you know. We sang verse six, one I’d never heard before. It read like this:

Grand birthright of our sire,

Our altars and our fires

Keep we still pure!

Our starry flag unfurled,

The hope of all the world, 

In peace and light imperiled,

God hold secure! Samuel Frances Smith, July 4, 1831.

We do face uncertainty in this life. I know someone struggling with Covid right and is on a ventilator in the hospital. A dear one is watching her husband slip away from this life, battling Parkinson’s. An acquaintance just lost her husband to ALS and for the first time in many years, he was not at the Thanksgiving table with the family.

Public schools for the most part, are closed for in-class sessions. Students, instead of being challenged in the classroom, enjoying interaction with their friends, involved in sporting events, participating in choir, band, and orchestra are at home, learning from a computer screen.

We are at a standstill. We are waiting for this virus to pass. For a vaccine. For the disease to be gone.  Right now, people are encouraged to stay away from each other and hunker down in their own homes.

Most of us are social creatures and want to be with others and this isn’t easy. So far, my words aren’t very encouraging, are they?! Hang on, the encouragement is coming.

Each morning before I begin my day, I read a book of praises. In the book the author paraphrases Scripture verses. My husband Jim and I look up those verses and we are encouraged by this rich source of comfort in these days of uncertainty. Yesterday’s was especially reassuring. It spoke of how Jesus defeated Satan and his evil powers. Wow! The battle over evil has been won. The ultimate battle that is. We still battle spiritual warfare in our world, which produces physical warfare. Author, Ruth Myers, included many encouraging verses that remind us the battle may not be over, but it has been won.

 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world (I John 4:4 NLT).

So our battle is won. The Spirit–if He lives in you–is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. Wow.

There will still be political battles. The election isn’t over quite yet. There will be war. Desire for dominance. But the greatest battle–the one against the evil one, Satan, has been won. Jesus did that for us on the cross.

Now that’s something to be grateful for, isn’t it? Our world is still uncertain. At some point, most likely will be dominated by a power besides the United States. But in the spiritual world, the battle has already been won on the cross.

We might not be certain which Party will rule for the next four years, but we do know in the spiritual world, the battle has been won! Now that’s cause for Thanksgiving!

I hope you are encouraged by those words and the truth of God’s word.

Enjoy the day after Thanksgiving. Feast again on the left-overs from yesterday’s Thanksgiving meal. Put up your decorations for Christmas if that is your custom. And give thanks. The eternal battle is won!