Lindsay Roberts
November is the month we hold national elections in the United States. For U.S. citizens, it is a day of responsibility—a day to perform our civic duty by going to the polls and participating in the election process.
For Christians, though, the responsibility goes beyond just casting a ballot in an election. The Bible admonishes us to pray for rulers and for all who have authority so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives full of worship and respect for God. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to know the truth (I Timothy 2:2˗4 NCV).
But what if we find out the next day that the person we wanted in office didn’t win the election? Does God expect us to pray for the person who won? Yes, because as Christians, God has called us to pray for that person in the position of leadership. It doesn’t matter how we voted—we’re still to pray for whoever is president and vice president, members of Congress, judges, governor, mayor, city council members—every leader who is in authority.
Some of the leaders who are elected may not be godly men and women. We may not agree with their particular political slant. But our prayers are to be with them, that God will move through them. And think about it… if our elected officials don’t know the Lord, our prayers may open the way for God to touch them!
Prayer is a powerful tool, and praying for our leaders each and every day is just as important as casting our ballots on Election Day. It pleases God.