Prayer For The Presidential Election
Heavenly father, we lift every candidate to you. We pray that whatever the result you will be with each of them. Help those elected to be humble in victory and for peace for those who were unsuccessful. Amen.
Our Father, we come before you recognizing that we desperately need you to intervene in our nation and send revival to our land. We confess that we've rebelled against you and tried to establish ourselves as kings instead of submitting to your authority. Forgive us for trusting in our government and our leaders when we should have been trusting in you alone.
We thank you for allowing us to live in this country where we have the freedom to vote for our leaders. Please help us as a nation to vote according to consciences that are informed by principles of integrity and wisdom. Please bless and protect those of all political parties who are running for office, from the White House to the statehouse to the courthouse. Grant that those seeking office would do so for the good of others, and not their own prosperity. May they lead with wisdom and integrity. Most importantly, grant that they may know you as their king in order that they may rule as humble servants in this land and for eternity with you, along with all the saints.
In humble submission to your sovereign rule, amen.
Father, the hearts of the kings, leaders, presidents, congressman, and sheriffs are streams of water in the palms of your hands. You direct them. You turn them. Every one of them is acting in such a way that will only advance the agenda that you've set since the beginning of time. Help us as a church to remember that truth.
As sure as some of us are panicking right now, because what seemed to be an unfathomable outcome a few months ago seems like it could actually be a possibility, I pray that you would remind us that as far as you're concerned, there's nothing new under the sun. It's new to us, but you've seen this before. You've dealt with worse. You're not panicking.
So Father, we ask that you would guide and direct our leadersall of themin such a way that enables us to live peaceful and quiet lives. Give our President wisdom, grace, compassion, and conviction as he's completing his service to our country. Give him special insight and unction to have concern for the defenselessall the little guys, from those in the womb to those who are working extremely hard but low-paying jobs that might cause them to feel ashamed of bringing new life into the world. I pray that these people, these stories, these faces would be implanted on his heart and would cause him to move out in grace and compassion.
Above all else, 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.
O God, we acknowledge You today as Lord,
Not only of individuals, but of nations and governments.
We thank You for the privilege
Of being able to organize ourselves politically
And of knowing that political loyalty
Does not have to mean disloyalty to You.
We thank You for Your law,
Which our Founding Fathers acknowledged
And recognized as higher than any human law.
We thank You for the opportunity that this election year
puts before us,
To exercise our solemn duty not only to vote,
But to influence countless others to vote,
And to vote correctly.
Lord, we pray that Your people may be awakened.
Let them realize that while politics is not their
salvation,
Their response to You requires that they be politically
active.
Awaken Your people to know that they are not called to be
a sect fleeing the world
But rather a community of faith renewing the world.
Awaken them that the same hands lifted up to You in prayer
Are the hands that pull the lever in the voting booth;
That the same eyes that read Your Word
Are the eyes that read the names on the ballot,
And that they do not cease to be Christians
When they enter the voting booth.
Awaken Your people to a commitment to justice,
To the sanctity of marriage and the family,
To the dignity of each individual human life,
And to the truth that human rights begin when Human Lives
Begin,
And not one moment later.
Lord, we rejoice today
That we are citizens of Your kingdom.
May that make us all the more committed
To being faithful citizens on earth.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
God, I know that I don't have to get angry.
I don't have to get worked up.
I don't have to get depressed.
And I don't have to throw anything at the TV.
I just have to use my conscience and vote.
So help me remember
what Jesus taught in the Gospels,
and what our church teaches,
especially about the poor, the refugee, the migrant,
the sick, the homeless, the unborn, the disabled,
the hungry, the elderly and the lonely.
Help me remember the least among us,
and help me ponder in my heart
how to cast my vote for the good of all.
God, I know that no candidate is perfect,
because I'm not perfect either,
the last time I checked.
So free me of the burden of having to
vote for someone who satisfies
all my desires for a candidate.
My candidate will be imperfect,
like me.
Help me to be grateful for the ability to vote,
because not everyone has that privilege.
And when I meet people voting for someone else,
help me to take a deep breath and
give them the benefit of the doubt,
because they are following their consciences, too.
Help me remember
that even though they sometimes drive me nuts,
I don't have to argue with them,
I don't have to convince them,
I don't have to hate them,
And I don't have to demonize them.
Then, after the election, help me work for unity.
Because I know that's what you want.
Amen.
Lord God, as the election approaches,
we seek to better understand the issues and concerns that confront our city/state/country,
and how the Gospel compels us to respond as faithful citizens in our community.
We ask for eyes that are free from blindness
so that we might see each other as brothers and sisters,
one and equal in dignity,
especially those who are victims of abuse and violence, deceit and poverty.
We ask for ears that will hear the cries of children unborn and those abandoned,
Men and women oppressed because of race or creed, religion or gender.
We ask for minds and hearts that are open to hearing the voice of leaders who will bring us closer to your Kingdom.
We pray for discernment
so that we may choose leaders who hear your Word,
live your love,
and keep in the ways of your truth
as they follow in the steps of Jesus and his Apostles
and guide us to your Kingdom of justice and peace.
God of mercy, our nation is in a time of great transition.
With all of the injustice and fear in our world today,
we ask you to inspire us and guide us as we participate in the upcoming presidential elections.
We seek a government that upholds and protects human rights and justice for all its citizens,
regardless of race, class, gender, or religion.
Move and inspire us by your presence among us in the most vulnerable in our society.
For their tears are your tears, their pain is your pain, their suffering is your suffering.
In gratitude for the right to vote, we pray.
O God, we acknowledge You today as Lord,
Not only of individuals, but of nations and governments.
We thank You for the privilege
Of being able to organize ourselves politically
And of knowing that political loyalty
Does not have to mean disloyalty to You.
We thank You for Your law,
Which our Founding Fathers acknowledged
And recognized as higher than any human law.
We thank You for the opportunity that this election year
puts before us,
To exercise our solemn duty not only to vote,
But to influence countless others to vote,
And to vote correctly.
Lord, we pray that Your people may be awakened.
Let them realize that while politics is not their
salvation,
Their response to You requires that they be politically
active. It's Election Day, Vote!
Awaken Your people to know that they are not called to be
a sect fleeing the world
But rather a community of faith renewing the world.
Awaken them that the same hands lifted up to You in prayer
Are the hands that pull the lever in the voting booth;
That the same eyes that read Your Word
Are the eyes that read the names on the ballot,
And that they do not cease to be Christians
When they enter the voting booth.
Awaken Your people to a commitment to justice,
To the sanctity of marriage and the family,
To the dignity of each individual human life,
And to the truth that human rights begin when Human Lives
Begin,
And not one moment later.
Lord, we rejoice today
That we are citizens of Your kingdom.
May that make us all the more committed
To being faithful citizens on earth.