29 Oct 2024
Two Prayers for Election Season
Today, Scott offers two prayers for election season. One synthesizes some key verses we've repeatedly used on this podcast. The other attempts to address particular issues that concern us. Feel free to use them in your family or small group. Maybe they will help you with prayers of your own. The most important thing we can do today is to pray.
NOTES:
Prayer #1 -- Scripture Prayer
Our Father in Heaven,
We pray your name will be hallowed.
Don't let your people hallow anyone on the ballot. Cause us to revere no one but you, look to no one for salvation but you, and have hope only in you. Don't let Christians profane your name by how they support a candidate.
May your kingdom come, and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
We praise you for setting up kings and deposing princes. We praise you for the fact that the heart of a leader is like a stream of water in your hand, and you turn it wherever you will. So, we pray that your will will be done in this election and that you will use the collective will of the people to settle the course of our nation, our state, and our cities. We trust you to move people how you will.
To that end, we pray for the welfare of our country. We long to live here as resident aliens who seek its good. We seek its good this week in our vote. We seek its good day in and day out by getting involved in the lives of our neighbors and in the community. We believe that our own welfare is wrapped up in this.
We pray for all those in authority, those who will be put in authority in this election. I want to thank you for living in a place and time where we get involved in their selection. That is a privilege we can't take for granted. Thank you for those on the ballot who are there as ambassadors of your kingdom.
Bring about a result in this election that will enable your church to lead peaceful and quiet lives. May the result of this election be the success of your church. Would you let your church be godly and dignified in the way they speak and the way they interact on social media this week?
I really do pray for your church. It pleases you that people would be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Lord, use this election to create an environment in which that will happen best.
Finally, Lord. You said that if we bring you things in prayer, you will help us not be anxious. So, please help us not be anxious. Let our hearts be so confident and content that no critical, sarcastic, or worried comment comes out of our mouths since, out of the abundance of our hearts, our mouths speak.
Amen.
Prayer #2 -- Prayer for Issues
Heavenly Father, we are yours. You have adopted us. We live in a world of people who relate to you only as their creator. You made them in your image and they are important to you. Make them important to us. Make them important to us as we express our opinions and exercise our rights as we vote. Make them important to us all the time, too.
May the way that we engage this election reflect the importance of our neighbors. May we do better than that. We want to vote and do everything such a way that we love you and our neighbors as ourselves.
Would you protect our nation from polarization that would result in broken relationships or even in political violence. I pray, Lord, that politicians themselves would not inflame the polarization. That we would not invent or create enemies where they do not need to be.
Protect families that are divided by strong opinions. May Christian families and churches find unity in their relationship with you to be far stronger than a flimsy political opinion strongly held.
We commit the security of this election to you. You ask if it be your will, that the election itself would come off without a problem or violent backlash.
Several things are especially concerning during this election. As
