I thought I was finished writing
about this year’s presidential election
when I wrote my post on August 1st (http://faithmeanderings.blogspot.com/2016/08/to-vote-or-not-to-vote.html). But recently God has been laying something on
my heart that I want to share.
Most of us would agree that the
choices before us this year are difficult
at best; in fact, the outcome of the election seems grim regardless of who wins.
And I’m not interested in joining the legions of others who have used
social media to rant and rave about what choice we should make. What I am interested in is determining what God might be asking us to do in
spite of the end result of the election.
I have been hearing many people
calling Christians to pray – for our
nation, for the outcome of the election, etc.
But it seems to me that these types of prayers might be selfish. Instead of praying for God’s sovereign will,
we pray for the things we want to happen; and we sometimes act as if God isn’t
sovereign. I think we might be praying
for the wrong things.
According to Christ’s words (Matthew 5:43-45) and his example (Luke 23:34), we are to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, forgive them, and trust
what God is doing even if it doesn’t seem right to us. It’s much easier to get angry and side
against those we disagree with. But if we
could apply these Biblical principles to our election, we would stop worrying
and find better things to pray about.
I’ll admit I’m resistant to what
God’s been telling me, but I think our prayers need to be more concerned about other people and less about our hopes
for our country. It’s hard to pray for
someone you disagree with or who has wronged you, but what would happen if
Christians diligently prayed for the souls
of the two candidates? Regardless of
what happens in the election and in our country, this is what God ultimately
cares about. Whether I understand it or
not, God loves Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton as much as he loves me
or any other devoted follower of Christ.
His highest desire is for both of them to choose to submit to his authority and follow
his leading. Am I praying specifically
for the souls of those I don’t like, including these candidates?
And what about members of ISIS or
Vladimir Putin or terrorists? What about
lost people from other cultures that I don’t understand, such as Muslims? Do I really believe that they have worth
because they are created in the image of God, and that God loves them as much
as he loves me? Do I pray for their souls, or only that they would be
defeated or kept away from me?
God help us to choose to see others through your eyes and to pray as
Jesus would pray if he was walking on earth today.
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