Vote and Pray

05 Nov Vote and Pray

Election Day is this Tuesday and to say that tensions are high would be an understatement. This election season has been filled with negativity and anger which, unsurprisingly, has led to overwhelming anxiety and uncertainty.

Scripture offers a solution for coping regardless of who wins this Tuesday. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 says that we should offer “supplications, prayers, intercession and thanks for all men, including kings and those that are in authority.” Note that it does not specify that we should do this only for our candidate if he/she wins, but we should do this regardless of who wins. It is our duty to pray for our leaders and to intercede on their behalf. Ultimately, we know that God is in control of all things.

Scripture even goes on to tell us why we should do this. First, it allows us to “lead quiet and peaceful lives (1 Tim 2:2).” Our ability to live peaceful lives is directly related to our willingness to pray for our leaders. We need our leaders to have wisdom to deal with all the challenges that they will undoubtedly face and we know that wisdom comes from God. We need to pray that they will seek God for guidance in all that they do. Our very peace and livelihood depends on it.

Second, Scripture says that praying for all men, including our leaders, is “good and acceptable to God (1 Tim 2:3).” Isn’t that reason enough? Regardless of who steps into the Oval Office in January, we must pray for that person because that is the right thing to do regardless of our personal feelings or what others may be doing around us. As the First Lady says, “when they go low, we go high.” Well we know that there is none higher than our God. Regardless of what happens in this election, or how low they may go, we know that we must go to “The Highest.”  Go vote and pray!