Like many of you, I am sure, I have been caught up in all of the presidential election hubbub. I still shake my head when I think it takes this nation four years to figure out who should be its leader. In my home country of Canada, we can call a vote and put a prime minister in office in less than eight weeks. Seriously.
The news of one candidate’s seemingly inappropriate conduct regarding their correspondence, along with the grandstanding of another candidate, has caused me to pause. When I read these verses in 1 Timothy, however, I am called up short. Do I quickly become embroiled in all of the electioneering, or do I take time to pray?
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.
–1 Timothy 2:1-3, msg
I must confess, it has been a good long while since I have prayed for the Speaker of the House. I’ve certainly neglected to pray for the Senate or the justices of the Supreme Court. I may shake my head and mouth off about the ineptitudes of candidates in debate. I give lip service on 4th of July weekend and pray for “those in power,” but do I really engage with the Heavenlies, putting all of the parties, all of the individuals, in front of God?
What fascinates me about these verses is the end result. If we as Christ-followers became dedicated pray-ers, remembering our Republican and Democratic parties, do you see what Timothy writes is the result? We pray so that we can go “about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation.” Imagine a community like that. We might put CNN and FoxNews out of business. (I am pretty certain if we had been more serious about these verses we may well have had a few more choice candidates for this coming November. But I digress.)
These verses don’t suggest we pray only for those candidates we like—for the pro-life, pro-marriage, Christian-friendly individual. Our God wants us to pray for the rulers and those in government—“every way you know how, for everyone you know.”
As this passage says, “This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.” I urge you: May our daily prayers be nonpartisan.
By Publisher Don Pape
Thank you. I believe that as Christians when we pray for anything, especially our government, it is important that we pray for what God wants and wills, not our personal wants and wills. If we pray for our personal needs, it is important that we realize that it is only we are praying for God’s Will in our lives will we truly happy. If we have dreams, we must acknowledge where they came from! God! As far as our government, the best thing we can do is pray for His Wil to be done in our nation, for as the Bible has reminded us, we do not or can not know the Mind of God. Who speaks for God? Only, God speaks for God and it is to us to obey and listen and bring His love, peace, humility, and kindness to everyone no matter their religion or political party, etc. Thank you.
Thank you for this most timely reminder. It’s true that we tend to get too caught up in our own affairs and neglect the necessary prayer for our leaders. May God forgive us for our lack and soon bring about His will for our nation and its leaders.