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Winners Of November Elections Need And Deserve Our Prayers

11/02/2008   

“The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” (Proverbs 15:29)

Our country is sharply divided, and there is no better example of it than what we are seeing during this election season. State and national races are all hotly contested, and the advertisements are bringing out the worst in all of us. Even families are divided about which candidate is the better candidate.

Sadly, even our churches have not been immune. Pastors are using the pulpit to tout their choices, and they are using Scripture to validate their candidate.

I don’t intend to use this column as a platform to tell you how you should cast your vote for any candidate. I honestly don’t know how Jesus would vote and don’t intend to speak for him in this matter. What I can tell you is Jesus did not like sin in any form. He despised it, particularly when he saw in those who the world deemed themselves to be righteous. I cannot tell how many times this election season that I have thought of something someone who was speaking for the Lord once said: “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags”. (Isaiah 64:6) But for the blood of Jesus, folks, we are all condemned to hell for how we are living – all of us!

Frankly, it is not who wins that I am as worried about as I am praying for who wins. Republican or Democrat, federal, state, or local, we should commit ourselves to pray for them. When Jesus told us to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s, he was pointing out that we have two citizenships - one eternal and one that will end when we cross the other side. So while we are here, we must support our government not only in duty, but also in prayer. Even Paul once instructed a young pastor, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority…For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God”. (1 Timothy 2:1-3)

Whether they lead our communities, our state or our nation, we should ask God to help our leaders make just and wise decisions; show mercy and charity to those in need; be honest and single-minded in purpose and in action; wield power with the responsibility and seriousness of the positions they occupy; and be God-fearing people in both word and deed.

I’ve worked around politics for over thirty years and have seen the best and the worst in political leaders. Many will tell you that a good leader is one who has a vision, the ability to communicate that vision, and the charisma to convince others to pursue it. I don’t disagree, but there are more important qualities that I want to see in those who lead us in government. So during this election season, commit the following to prayer.

1. Pray for righteous and god-fearing leaders: 2 Samuel 23:3 says “He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.”

2. Pray that our leaders will not seek to profit from the influence they have: Deuteronomy 17:16-17 reads, “But he shall not multiply horses for himself…nor shall he multiply silver and gold for himself.”

3. Pray for leaders who are wise and have teachable spirits: The psalmist wrote, “Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” (Psalm 2:10-11)

4. Pray for loving and faithful leaders and remember what Solomon once said: “Mercy and truth preserve the king, and by loving kindness he upholds his throne.” (Proverbs 20:28)

5. Pray that our leaders will turn their backs on the trappings of power: The Bible says that “The king establishes the land by justice, but he who receives bribes overthrows it.” (Proverbs 29:4)

6. Pray that our leaders will be charitable and compassionate towards the poor: Remember what the Apostle Paul said, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

7. Finally, pray that our leaders will surround themselves with those who give sound advice, for as the psalmist once observed, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.” (Psalm 1:1)

posted by Mike Ruffin on 11/02/2008