I know you are all sick of the political ads and are glad the elections are over. I hope everyone voted; it is a blessing to be able to do that. It’s our duty as American citizens. It’s our Christian duty too because we have a duty to our nation.
As Christians we have a duty to our government and our leaders. When the wicked are in power we still have a duty to pray. Paul was being persecuted by the Jewish government and the governments in Asia Minor, Greece and Rome. You’d think he would pray for God to bring down fire on them but he didn’t.
I Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Paul exhorted–strongly insisted–in what he was saying. This is good advice. We’ll see the results of how the election turned out–time will tell. One result that all in office should see is the prayers of God’s people. It’s easy to give up on government and those in power. God ordained government. In his knowledge, he knows who will be president until Jesus comes. The next ruler could be the world ruler we call the Antichrist. All nations will give their hands over to him.
Sometimes we feel it’s too late and what we do doesn’t do a lot of good. Pray. It is our duty. Sin is a reproach to a nation; it will eventually collapse. Righteousness exalts a nation. There has never been a time that every citizen has been saved. Christians are now in the minority. There is no such thing as a perfect nation but God can bless in spite of that.
God told Abraham that he would spare Sodom and Gomorrah if 10 righteous people could be found. There were not even that many. These were crowded cities full of corruption and wickedness. Ten people would have been a very small minority but they couldn’t be found. God has not spared American because of the wicked but because of the righteous. We enjoy our freedoms but it is our duty to be what this nation needs: a faithful Christian.
I wonder how many of those put in office really know how to pray. All of our presidents have gone to church but that doesn’t mean they know how to pray. Whether our leaders want it or not, they need us to pray for them. Back in Paul’s time the Caesar didn’t know how to pray. He couldn’t have cared less. I don’t know how many of the leaders are true believers, but they need us to pray for them. Our country needs some honesty. We can trust very few but we can trust the Lord. If everyone else is dishonest that doesn’t give us license to be dishonest. What our leaders need to see from us is an honest to goodness Christian who is godly, whose willing to say what is right and wrong. Our country will never be great again until we get down to business with God.
Other governments are different from ours. Guess what they need–their citizens to pray for them. The Christians in some countries even pray for us and we have it made compared to most nations. No matter the nation, each has some Christians in it. God has his handprint everywhere. Each nation has hope as long as the people in it who say they are Christians are Christians. As Christians, our bill of rights is here in this Bible. It will serve us well and deliver us. The Word of God is our constitution and Jesus is our declaration of independence. Our founding Father is God. The might and power of God’s people lies in God’s Spirit.
Wouldn’t it be something if all our leaders got saved. We need to pray that those who profess to be Christians would get down to business with it. Pray for others but also for ourselves that we’ll be the right kind of citizen for our nation and for our God.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 