There
are two four-letter words that we don’t always think about together, but it is
quite important that we associate them. Though our citizenship is in heaven, we
are called in Scripture to have a relationship with the governing authorities
in the earthly realm as well. According to Romans 13 this relationship is to
include honor and respect. While we are not called in Scripture to support and
obey anything that is contrary to God’s Word and His revealed will, we are
called to love people – even those we may strongly disagree with. But I think
we have a calling that goes even further, and here is where the two four-letter
words come in. The two words are “vote” and “pray”.
While I
may be tempted to pray a prayer of thanksgiving that the constant barrage of political
phone calls and advertising will be over, today (Tuesday, November 4) I will
honor God by voting and I will seek for the Lord’s will to be done in prayer.
If you get this via email during the day, I encourage you to connect these
words as well. Take time to vote. And also take time to pray. Voting is not the
same as praying, but it is important to do both. Though it may seem that voting
is active and prayer is passive, we know that praying is one of the most
proactive things we can do in life. We minimalize prayer when we say, “all we
can do is pray”, or “just pray”, or when we pray “as a last resort”. On
election day, my prayer is not really too different than it would be on any
other day, but I do have the election results in mind when I pray, as Jesus
taught us, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew
6:10). I pray for God’s will to be done
in each race, in each referendum, and in each result. I pray that God will give
wisdom and grace to each winning candidate as well. Though my vote is an
opportunity to impact the election result, my prayer is no less significant. It
puts me in a place of trusting the Lord in and through each result.
And this
call to prayer is not limited to election results. The Scriptures call me to
pray for all those in authority, for through them God mediates the opportunity
for peaceful and quiet lives in which we may seek and experience holiness and
godliness. All the more reason for me to connect the words “vote” and “pray”.
Prayer should precede and follow every election. It can be tempting to stop
praying for the ones we did not vote for, yet were elected. We can feel like we
didn’t get our way. We may want to think that God doesn’t get His way. But God always
gets His way. He is sovereign over all things – even elections. And He calls us
to keep praying beyond every election day. A couple of the words He associates
with this action are “intercession” and “thanksgiving”. Because we trust the
Lord, we can be thankful even in results we may not like. If it were up to us,
how different might it be! But we do not wish for what we want. We are seeking
what He wants. And when we pray, we trust Him.
May
prayer be our earnest activity throughout today. But may it not end when we see
how things go. Let us commit to continue in prayer, and to continue in a
confident reliance upon God, whose ways are higher than ours, and whose will we
trust will be done.
Romans 13:1 (NIV) – “Let everyone be subject
to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God
has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV) – “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions,
prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for
kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in
all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good,
and pleases God our Savior, 4 who
wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the
truth.”
Romans 8:28 (NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of
those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
PRAYER: Lord, may every election result in every part
of our country today be according to your will. And may each winner do your
will. When an elected official acts against your will, may Your Spirit bring
him/her under conviction and may your grace be at work in that person’s life.
May my confidence in you never wane, regardless of how the results may look to
me. I trust you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”
Jesus
Christ is Lord!
Scott
No comments:
Post a Comment