Prayer For Political Candidates
Almighty God, may we fear and revere You in all that we do, knowing that You are above all and You are the giver of wisdom.
Please help us to walk in alignment with Your will and according to Your ways. We pray that You would intervene and stop the plans of evildoers, those who would desire to see hatred prevail.
"Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
who walk in obedience to him.
You will eat the fruit of your labour;
blessings and prosperity will be yours."
Psalm 128:1
Father God, we are profoundly grateful that we have the opportunity to be reminded of your view of what leadership looks like. As we think about the weeks ahead that remain between now and election day, we long to attend to your vision of leadership. We're thankful, Lord, for the many candidates who have come forward to run, to pursue justice, to pursue the welfare of the cities and the towns in which they live, out of concern for every neighbor in their neighborhoods. It is a thankless job in many cases, and running as a candidate often feels very hopeless. Lord, we're grateful for the folks who you have called forward to serve, on whose hearts you've laid your vision for leadership. We're thankful for people who are going to serve in offices down the street from where we livepeople who are commissioners of the revenue, who serve on city councils. Folks who are sheriffs, folks who are running to be prosecutors or who will serve on the school board or certify elections or make sure that the sewers run just as well in the rich neighborhoods as they do in the poor neighborhoods.
Amen.
Lord, we do pray particularly for their health, for their safety, for their families and friends who commit with them to these campaigns. In all of the ways that there have been things about campaigning that have been distorted and consequently take a toll on their health, their safety, their families and friends, we pray that you would do the work that we know you can do: Restore what it is to be image-bearers. We pray that those who have resorted to viciousness in their campaigns would repent, that they would receive forgiveness, and that they would in turn communicate how they hope to govern in wisdom.
Amen
Lord, we pray this not just for our neighborhoods and our cities, but we pray this for our state houses, for people who are going to have positions that we only learn exist when we look at our ballots. And we pray these things for our presidential candidates, as well. Each of these men and women have been created in your image. I pray that you would give them what they need to be people who govern in wisdom. Protect them from all the assaults of the enemy and continue to conform them not to the likeness of a false image, but to the image of your Son, Christ Jesus, in whose name we pray these things.
Amen.
Father, remind us that in this room right now, though our earthly politics may differ and the human faces in charge may change, the constant is that our true king always sits on the throne and never changes. So I pray that as your will is revealed to us in the near future, we wouldn't be gripped with fear. Knowing you means we don't have to know the future. Remind us of that truth, and help us walk in faithfulness and unity together.
We pray for God to direct our national and local political leaders to promote human flourishingall of it, from the womb to the tomb. So we'll pray for God's help for specific biblical concerns that aren't usually juxtaposed politically. We know how angry God got when Aaron and the Israelites tried to honor him by creating a golden calf to represent his strength; we believe God's just as offended today when we try to mold Christianity into the shape of any animal, be it donkey or elephant, so we avoid both.
Amen
Lord,
You move in the hearts of people to accomplish your sovereign will. During an election, every candidate feels she or he is the best choice, or they would not be running for office. Sometimes You do not always want the best person to win, because your purposes and plans are very complex. We would like to believe that most of the time, however, You do want the more ethical and wiser individual to serve. You want your children to vote wisely, with conviction. We pray, Lord, that if I am the best candidate, and if it is Your sovereign will, that you would allow me to serve my constituents by being elected. But what is most important is Your will, not mine. And that is what I ask for. Help me to do my part with enthusiasm, and then to rest in Your hands, I pray, in Jesus' Name, Amen.
Lord of every time and place, God beyond our dreaming,
we pray for wisdom as we prepare to vote in the Federal election.
Give us a Parliament committed to the priorities of your kingdom,
so that peace, compassion, truth and justice may prevail among us,
and make us a blessing to all peoples, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.