(Photo: Patrick Fore on Unsplash)
When you speak to God about our civic leaders, how do you pray? Do you pray for them at all?
Maybe we wait til we read about a new law or about a rate hike. But shouldn’t we be more proactive?
God’s word does give us principles to help us in our prayer for leaders:
1. We should respect, submit to, and pray for, our civic leaders in the exercise of their duty (1 Peter 2:11-17; 1 Tim 2:1-3)
2. Governments are ultimately controlled, directed and restrained by God, for his purpose. (Romans 13; Proverbs 21:1)
This means we engage respectfully with our leaders and with our God, even while we pray for God to turn their hearts to his purpose.
I’ve been giving this some thought because I was recently asked to pray on behalf of the Presbyterian Church at the Australian Christian Lobby’s national prayer event this week. The ACL’s prayer event focussed on the issue of abortion in Australia, and my role was to pray for our politicians.
My prayer follows:
Lord, we acknowledge you: Lord of heaven and earth. You are creator, sustainer, and ruler of all things. As Lord you are master. As Lord you are director. As Lord you are king over all powers and authorities on earth and in heaven.We acknowledge your hand. You Lord, are a strong and mighty God, able to do more than we ask or imagine. In your hand you hold good gifts, which you love to give to your children. In your hand you hold your people, such that none can be snatched away. And all day long you hold out your hands to a disobedient and insolent people, that they may know you, and take your hand.We acknowledge that you have placed kings, rulers and governors over us. There is no authority that you have not implemented. Through our earthly kingdoms, Lord, you govern, you rule, you restrain, you protect and you defend. Our lawmakers may know you, and seek to govern according to your command. Our lawmakers may oppose you or deny you, but they are still accountable to you for their just and beneficial administration.We acknowledge that governors and lawmakers are a channel for your good work, and that you are able to turn even their hearts in the directions you please. In their hearts they may plan a course, but you, Lord, direct their steps. In their hearts they may even propose to work against you, but you will have your way, and you will continue to govern through them even against their own plans, for your own glory.We therefore ask that you will turn the hearts of rulemakers and governors towards your end, that they may glorify you not just in their attitudes, but also in their decisions. May their decisions be subject to your most holy wise and powerful preserving and governing all your creatures and all their actions. We pray for our premier, our prime minister, our opposition leaders, all their parties, politicians and public servants.Whether they know you or not, may you give them wisdom and courage to defend what is good, to protect those who are weak, to comfort those who are suffering, to shield the vulnerable, and to promote life and vitality in all they do. We particularly ask for those who claim you as their Lord, that you will give them courage to make decisions in line with your word, and to listen to the Spirit’s leading in them, as they engage with you in word and in prayer.Lord, with specific regard to the tragic consequences of sin and especially the tragedy of abortion, Lord, we ask that you will turn the hearts of lawmakers to uphold the sanctity of human life. Cause them to show mercy to the vulnerable. Let love triumph over law. Cause unjust or unrighteous laws to be overturned, so that our people may know the blessing that it is to live in love.But even above law, Lord we pray for our governors to overflow with your love. May they do more than what they are required to do. May they be filled with your spirit, overflowing with its fruit, as they display love, joy, peace, and kindness, and as they promote these values in their jurisdictions.We ask these things in the name of the Son, who is Lord over all, and yet who gave his life to the service of his people, who will return to judge people according to their actions, and who personally and completely atones for the sin of his people, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
