City on a Hill by City on a Hill

October 29, 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 always, we are concerned with the protection and preservation of human life. I pray that no matter who is elected that you would protect the vulnerable and the unborn. I pray that you would protect the elderly and the sick. Father, I pray for women who are find themselves in unthinkable circumstances and I ask that whether through political means or the kindness of neighbors that you would care for those women enable them to see if future includes unborn child.

We pray, too, for the poor among us. Praying that they would flourish. I don't know what policy or even what politician will be of surest help to those who are hurting. But you do and I pray that you would work you're will for their good. So much is out of our control. Would you show your kindness to those who need it most.

The issues surrounding immigration are far more complicated than I realize. Would you be pleased to show kindness to the alien and stranger regardless of the results of this election but use the election to that end. I pray due process would be upheld and that the people who are not like the majority would be welcome in our country.

These things concern us more during this election. To the degree that political elections can further the flourishing of our neighbors and our community and our nation would you be pleased to make this election a good one? Would you do this for your glory and our good? We believe you can do this because of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. In his name, we pray, amen.

RECAP/TAKEAWAYS

Key Verses:

Matthew 6:9-13 Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.

Jeremiah 29:7. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

1 Timothy 2:1-4. First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Phiippians 4:6-7. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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MUSIC:

Little Lily Swing, Tri-Tachyon, Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Tri-Tachyon/the-kleptotonic-ep/little-lily-swing

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