A Prayer

Father,

You have instructed us to pray for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions. It is clear that our nation needs us to pray for those who are in high positions. And You have told us why we are to pray for our leaders: so that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. And so, Father, we do pray for our leaders, and we do pray for them with this goal in mind. We want them to lead us well so that we can live in the manner that You have prescribed. This would allow us to pursue well the goal You have set before us: to change the world by the Gospel.

We ask, Father, that those who lead us would understand how life works so that the laws that they propose and legislate would be wise. But Father, understanding how life works only happens by knowing how You work. So, for those who lead us who are believers, we pray that they would think and act as Christians. They feel much pressure to compromise. And while there are times when compromise is actually the wise thing to do, there are so many other times when it isn't. Grant to them the wisdom to know when to do which. For these brothers and sisters we ask for a lively faith in the Gospel and a growing understanding of the Scriptures. We ask that they would be involved in faithful churches where the Word is preached well so that they would grow in the wisdom that comes from Your Word. 

We also pray for those leaders who are not believers. While You do bless people with common grace so that they can have some wisdom, it would be so much better if many who lead us were recipients of Your special grace. It would be so much better if they were following Jesus. Then, as Christians, they would understand life so much better and lead so much better.

Father, we ask that You would help us as we live in these days. There is much division in our nation, something that the evil one loves. Grant to us freedom from fear. Remind us that, whatever happens, You are our God and that You move through history with a great plan. Grant to us boldness as we will be facing challenges and trials. Grant to us the ability to live well so that our lives will reveal what Your power can do in a person's life. That would prove so attractive to the many who are not living well and who are increasingly seeing the ruin that always results.

And along with all of this, remind us, Father, that this life is simply the prologue to Your larger story. And that story really gets started only when Jesus returns to rule something that will be more beautiful and more peaceful than we can imagine.

We thank You Father, for hearing our prayer. We know that Your answer will be perfect. Through Christ our Lord Amen.