Prayer and Politics

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (I Tim 4:1-2 ESV) Regardless of what we think or have thought about the past elections and the choices that this country made, as I thumb through my bible I still find I Timothy 2:1-4 is still a binding imperative from the Apostle Paul. We are, as believers, to pray for those whom God has allowed to ascend to positions of authority. Since God is absolutely sovereign and that “promotion comes from the LORD", and that “the heart of the king" is still in the hands of our sovereign God, politics aside, party aside, and ideologies aside, we as God’s people can not abandon the one responsibility that we have been given. As I reached for my prayer journal and discovered today is the day I have designated to “pray for those in authority” I wanted to take a moment and share with you some points that should be included in our prayers. I think, as we think of these men and women, many who did not know the Lord Jesus Christ, who do not know that it was God who “arranged” for them to be so highly exalted, our hearts should be broken for them. They may have reached their goals and aspirations, they may have even reached the highest office in our great nation, but will they ever know the peace and joy of a risen Christ who will forever intercede for them as their great high priest? Or will they enjoy the perks and privileges of being dignitaries and spend a Christ-less eternity suffering punishment? Let me share at least seven things we can pray for those who are “kings and all who are in high positions and why we should be so faithful to do so. Pray so that… …we may lead a quiet & peaceable life in our communities characterized by godliness and fear …we may freely, without restriction and molestation, share the gospel with every creature …they (government officials) would be a terror to the wicked and a blessing to those who are “good” …they may be drawn to Christ (John 6:44) and perhaps, if God should be so gracious, enable them to experience and enjoy the blessing of salvation …they may exercise the power that God has given them with utmost wisdom, mercy, decorum, and honor …we, as believers, would be thankful for God’s wisdom and provision in providing us with government and the officials in government, even when they drastically differ from our values and morals …we would be able to always trust God implicitly as He sovereignly works out His express will and purposes in and through our local, state, and federal government.

These are the things that I have found in Scripture that we should pray for our government and government officials. I like the number seven for obvious reasons, including it is a shorter list to remember and pray. If you have other things I certainly would be interested in seeing them. May God bless you as you pray faithfully for those whom He, and He alone has established in these positions of authority for either, our blessing, or our chastisement!