Praying for our leaders

(I have to write this or I’ll get into trouble with my, er, Boss. I put it off yesterday, and can’t do it today, too! Don’t think He’d appreciate it. ;D )

“First of all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men,
For kings and all who are in positions of authority or high responsibility, that we may pass a quiet and undisturbed life, a peacable one in all godliness and reverence and seriousness in every way.
For such praying is good and right, and it is pleasing and acceptable to God our Saviour.” ~ I Timothy 2:1-3

After the elections in November, I was having a conversation with a family member who said, in short, that they couldn’t possibly pray for the new leadership coming into Congress and other positions of authority in the land. “I know we’re supposed to pray for them, but…I just can’t!” It was probably just spoken in frustration – everyone does that to vent and spout, and I think God understands even if He prefers we’d hush and do what He asks – and I don’t think that this person will actually not pray for our leaders.

More than saying he won’t pray, I think he was expressing how hard it would be, understanding where these people are coming from – they have as a goal the destruction or at least utter humiliation of America, either of which will lead to homocide bombers in our streets – and seeing how belligerent and stubborn they are even when the other side attempts to work with them. The majority of them are actually members of the Socialist party (obviously), actively working against America, her interests, her people, and liberty and freedom in general. Knowing what we do about these folks, it’s hard to pray for them not just because they really aren’t likeable in most cases, but because the chance of seeing them change, or being used as tools of God (the way we think they should be) doesn’t seem that good. Hey, why bother, right? (Boy, are we lucky God understands and loves us even in our silliness and doubt!)

Anyhow. Whether we like those in authority over us or not, we are to pray for them. Period. Now, oftentimes, this isn’t easy, but it’s important, and it’s commanded by God. He didn’t say, “If you like the President, pray for him. If not, don’t worry about it.” Nor did He say to pray against our leadership! Ouch. Instead, we’re to pray that God blesses them with skillful and godly wisdom and discernment (Proverbs 2:10-12). I tend to pray that God give them courage to do what is right as well; these days, courage is vital in our leaders (as well as the leaders of our allies). We also need to pray that our leaders are surrounded – or as the Bible says, “compassed about” – with wise, godly men who will support them with wisdom and good counsel. Indeed, we should be praying for those who counsel our leaders – the Cabinet, for instance.

Now, we can pray that the upright and good are the only ones who take office, and that the unjust, the deceitful, the evil are not allowed into authority or are exposed for what they are – that they be cut off from being in power over us. I don’t think this means praying for bad things to happen to people, but consecrating the office(s) through prayer is, it seems to me, perfectly justified for us, as saints of God, to do. God gave us authority, too, over the devil and principalities and powers – we ought to be using it! After all, God wants us to live as peaceably as possible – but with evil men in authority over us, that’s not quite possible.

Overall, we really need to pray for our leadership – I would define this as anyone in authority over us, even bosses – on a daily basis. God tells us to, He says it is a good thing – indeed, it pleases Him to see and hear us praying for our leaders!

Practically, this can be painful at times. I will admit that I really don’t like Nancy Pelosi. Whats-His-Face that replaced Rick Santorum is not exactly my idea of a strong leader (let’s face it, he couldn’t stand up for anything). Hillary Clinton…Lord, help me!

But a funny thing happens when we begin to pray for these people – bosses, the President, Congresspeople. I’ve noticed it myself. The more we pray for them, the more we see them through God’s eyes. Indeed, when we pray for these people, God tends to move in and change us, more than anything. And I think that’s the other reason He tells us to pray for them: It isn’t just that He exhorts us to pray in all things, and to bring everything to Him, He wants to help us, too. How cool is that? Pray for someone you secretly (or not so secretly) loathe, and you find your heart turning around, yourself a little less irked, a little more hopeful – and you find them a little more tolerable, believe it or not.

It doesn’t mean I’ll hug Nancy Pelosi the next time I see her, but…that cold stone of dislike is gone. Could that small stone be part of a wall into parts of our hearts that Jesus wants to get into and spiff up? A wall into a place where perhaps a hurt or fear lies that He intends to chase out of there, allowing us to rest in Him? The leaders we pray for may not change one whit, ever – and that isn’t because God can’t move them, but because they harden their hearts and minds toward Him and what is right (Pharaoh, anyone?). (He can still surround them with good counsel and so forth, of course, so don’t stop praying for them.) But even if they don’t change, God’s Word won’t return to Him void – He’ll change us instead.

(This is why it’s so important to pray the word of God – like the verses I’ve provided here – and pray out loud when you can. Faith comes through hearing the Word, and the speaking of it from our own mouths.)

I’m not someone who puts my trust, faith, or hope in government. It’s very important to me that we have good, moral, godly men in office, yes, but in the end, we’re to trust in God. Part of the reason we as a nation and church are having such trouble is that as God is pushed further and further to the edge of culture and society, there’s a vacuum that needs to be filled – and government is all too happy to step in, and the people are all too happy to accept it, not realizing that it’s going to cause far more trouble than they’ve bargained for. (I could go into a chat about libertarianism and its primary folly here, but I won’t.)

Still, the government is in authority over us! Therefore, it behooves us to pray for those who make up that government (and this is one case where I don’t mean “we the people” – I mean elected/appointed officials). Not doing so is not only foolish, but flies in the face of God’s command to do so. I often wonder what our country would be like if the Christians faithfully prayed for their leaders.

I don’t suppose it’s too late to find out.

“The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as are the watercourses; He turns it whichever way he wills.” ~ Proverbs 21:1

God bless America and Israel, and may He guide and protect our troops!