Jesus, we come before your throne tonight and we just want to acknowledge that you are Lord. Help us to sit right now in that truth. That you God are Lord of all.
Lord you created everything and everything that you created is by and for your glory. Lord, you cause nations to rise and fall, you set rulers and authorities in their places and your Word tells us that the hearts of kings are like a stream of water in your hand and that you turn it wherever you will. Lord this means that whether Pharaoh is mercilessly persecuting and enslaving your people, or whether a king like David, a man after God’s own heart, is on the throne, God that you are in control and sovereign. Lord this means that whether policies and laws seem beautifully in line with the Gospel and your heart for your creation or whether it seems like the world is spinning out of control and laws and precepts and leaders are further and further from your Word, Lord it still means that you are sovereign and in control.
Lord will you remind us every day of these awesome truths and change our hearts, our thoughts and our actions in regards to politics by them. Lord, help us know that you alone are sovereign and that in you alone can we put our faith, hope and trust.
Lord Jesus, in light of these truths, we come to you tonight begging you to sanctify us and prepare us for this Presidential campaign and political season. And Lord not just for us in a city so often consumed with politics and power, but Lord for our entire country that seems to be ever more divided and straining under the weight of divisiveness and political identity.
Lord Jesus, may your people in this country be marked not by the first letter of a political party, but by your blood. Lord, you have chosen us. You gave us your son so that we might bear and glorify his name here on earth. Oh Lord may we your people not exchange our adoption as your sons and daughters with the fleeting and empty identity of political labels. Lord Jesus, may we your people not put our hope in leaders or candidates or policies, but in you alone.
Lord Jesus, I pray for our hearts with politics. Lord give us faith to believe and trust that nothing that happens in this political campaign will be able to separate us from the love of Christ. Lord give us faith to know that your mighty hand is at work in this election and that you will use whatever happens for our good – that is that you will use all things to make us more like Christ. Lord help us when we doubt this. Lord help us when we find ourselves wondering how you could possibly still be in control because of what is happening in the world of politics and elections. Lord help us to set our hearts on you and to place our mind on eternal things rather than the day to day wind and waves of politics.
Lord we also pray for the church with politics. Lord for our own body here at Grace DC, as well as the other churches in this city and across the country. Lord Jesus we pray for unity in the body of Christ. Lord, as Philippians 2 calls us, help us to be of the same mind, having the same love and being in full accord. That in humility we would count others more significant than ourselves. That we would look not just to our own interests, but to the interests of others. Lord these words are good and right in all things, but this good instruction especially applies in political matters.
Lord, it’s not that we all need to have the exact same opinion or come to the same conclusions about who to vote for, but Lord you call us to our identity in Christ. Lord Jesus remind us that we have all been saved. That we all bear your name. That our entire existence is to be dedicated to your glory. Lord that you have given us all we need and that no system, no leader, no plan or policy will ever add to the richest inheritance any of us could ever receive. Jesus may these pursuits be first in the church and whatever political differences remain be seated in this context.
And Lord, I finally pray for our political activities. Lord, while we desperately need you to sanctify our hearts and remind us of our identity in you in this area; you do not call us to hide or only stand on the sidelines of politics. And Lord, whether we simply vote and advocate or if we spend our working days in the political world, I pray for the way we conduct ourselves. Lord, may all that we do be for your glory. And Lord may all of our political activity be honoring to you.
And Lord in this I pray we would be guided by your word and by Jesus as we consider politics and candidates. Lord whether it is immigration, abortion, spending, taxation, issues of race, sexual immorality, war and defense, our justice system, care for the poor and the needy or any other issue - Lord may we be conformed to what your Word says about these issues rather than the culture, our experience or a political party platform. Lord may all our political positions and activities flow from your word and our identity in Christ.
Lord hear our prayers and help us in this political season to mirror your glory and humility. Amen