“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” —I Timothy 2:1-3, NIV
Divisiveness, half-truths, and partisanship have been the words of note leading to last week’s elections. I wonder what Jesus thinks of this. He experienced all of those things as He ministered on Earth and suffered the stings of such words. Now that the bickering and rhetoric has paused until the next election cycle, maybe it’s time to reflect for a moment on Christian priorities in the political arena.
Scripture clearly shows that our first political action is to pray for our kings, presidents, and leaders—we are to make requests for them, intercede for them, and offer prayers of thanksgiving. Then, we are to pray that their decisions would be such that we would be able to live quiet and peaceful lives.
Somehow, offering those prayers is good and pleasing to God. Somehow, it appears that when we pray for those things it is a testimony to others who don’t yet know Christ, or those not growing in Christ—it causes them to see and hear truth and gain knowledge in the truth.
My Mom exemplified a Christian heart of political prayer. She always had a photo of the President of the United States hanging in her home. She prayed for him, no matter what political persuasion he professed. I never asked her, but my hunch is that she prayed for their families, their decisions, gave thanks for them, and asked that the decisions each President made would allow her family to live peaceful and quiet lives.
And you know what? It was a testimony to all who entered her home. Her grandchildren, to this day, remember the pictures of the Presidents and know that Grandma prayed.
Applying this Scripture, as my Mom did, brings its nugget of truth to life; sinking deep into the soul of all who entered her home.
When our political action first becomes prayer action, God will be glorified and others will gain knowledge of the truth.