“First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
It was in this sobering moment I was reminded my role, as a believer, is different than a regular citizen. In addition to my responsibility to vote—I have a higher authority—a higher calling. I’m called, first and foremost, to pray for my earthly authorities—regardless of who is in authority.
And, as I reflected on my thoughts toward the two front runners in the presidential race, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, I certainly hadn’t spent much time—OK, any time at this point—praying for them. Neither of them is currently holding an office, but they certainly could be. They surely are leading (and dividing) public opinions.
I’m praying for my son’s future spouse who is not yet married. Shouldn’t I be praying for the future leader of our nation?
I’m called to pray, even when worry seems to be a better option.
And so, I was convicted. I would never lead or teach our church to live this way. Turning to worry more than prayer? Never!
My role, as a follower of Christ, is first and foremost to trust and obey. To pray. Yes, I should use my influence to encourage moral value in our country. But the reality is this world is not our home. America is not the answer to world peace. Finding a king is not the chief goal of a disciple of Jesus.
And, in further reflection, I found myself asking bigger questions. Questions such as:
- Do I believe God can still heal our land?
- Do I believe God can unify people who are so far apart ideologically?
- Do I believe He can still radically change a heart—even one bent against Him?
This is when I realized I had been wasting some energy. I’d been worrying. I’d been fretting. I’d been spending private time in needless doubt—yet, all the while God was still in control. God is no less upon His throne today than He was yesterday—or will be tomorrow.
What if I prayed as much—or more—as I worried?
And, I’m a pastor, so I feel obligated to encourage you.
I’m not suggesting you take down your political post or fail to speak out in truth. Yours may be the one voice that gets heard within a crowd of noise. I’m not even suggesting you don’t have your candidate in mind whom you are supporting. I would suggest, however, if you can’t share truth with love—it’s usually best not to share at all.
But the point of this post is not to silence anyone. I embrace our freedom of speech. It’s not to advocate for or against any candidate. There are plenty of other posts doing that. What I am suggesting—and where I was convicted—is we remember our larger, perhaps more important purpose as followers of Christ. Prayer.
So for now I will pray. I will pray greatly. I will pray daily. And may prayer never be seen as a lesser or a weaker response.
