God gives us the One Leader who gives God to us. God can’t give more than that.

“After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. (John 6:14-15)”

When I lived in America I met very smart, kind, wonderful people. So how can it possibly be that the two American leaders are Joe Biden and Donald Trump! Are these two really the best out of 328 million people?

This shows the inherent problem with democracy: people get the leaders they choose and people choose leaders who promise them their best lives now. Over time it᾽s a recipe for disaster. Thankfully God’s government is so much better.

God only ever does what is in the best interests of His people because He really does love people. He will never rule by democracy because we would never vote for Him. We would rather be ruled by our desires. God loves us too much to let us be ruled by our desires. We must be prodded, poked, disturbed, sometimes hurt, in order to keep changing and become more like Jesus. God knows how to comfort us too!

But God will not give us our best lives now because He is working for our forever joy – not our temporary happiness. Any leader can make people temporarily happy. Like Marie Antionette said, ‘Let them eat cake.’ Leaders who promise comfort will be approved and voted for.

Jesus fed 5000 people with bread that didn’t cost them anything. No wonder the crowds wanted to make Jesus king! History teaches us that in Jesus’ day, there were sporadic gatherings in the wilderness as people tried to drum up a ‘liberation army’ to get free from the Roman occupation. The people saw Jesus’ power, plus He can feed them – wow – what more could you want in a leader! Jesus’ response is amazing.

Jesus refuses to become their king and He withdraws alone! Why? Because the one thing He offers is the One Thing they aren’t interested in: God. No one minds God if He comes with benefits. But who is interested in a Friend without benefits? The greatest Benefit God gives us is Himself, but our hearts think, ‘Yes, that’s nice, but hand out the cake please.’

The True Leader is the One God chose to bring people to God. To come to God to get anything other than God, is really idolatry. Jesus is the Only Leader because He doesn’t just give cake or tax rebates, He gave His life!

Jesus went up another mountain alone. The Man they wanted to make king by force, was lifted up by force! Jesus hung on a cross with a sign that said, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ He did this to bring God to us. Once we come to Jesus to get God, we get God as Father. In His kindness God gives us all these other things because, as Jesus said: ‘The Father knows that you need them.’ But if God isn’t really our thing, Jesus won’t be a leader we will want to follow.