Mat 23rd, 2020
The government we have seen in these past few months has exhibited an over reach on the American citizen like I have never seen before. Men and women have dawned a military uniform, and stepped up to serve and or die for their nation and freedoms that seems to be fading by the day. Freedoms I myself believe in that caused me to join the military to do my part to protect. Certainly it can be said that this nation is not the same nation that we grew up in as kids, that I served for. But maybe I am just naive. But I can remember when times were simpler, when we had one phone, three or four tv channels, a daily newspaper, I guess you could say, a simpler way of life. Today everybody is saturated with worldly information, hundreds of tv channels, everybody carries their own phone, wrapped up in social media hours on hours, days on days, the result wanting to spend all their waking ours complaining about this rule or that rule, this offense or that offense, complaining louder and louder, until someone will see things the way they do. The problem is if this continues to be what is in the heart of Christians then pretty soon we will begin to devour even our own brethren whom Christ died for. What if I (we), who bear the name Christian, actually put the tools of the world down for a time, got on our knees, and applied all our effort to prayer and supplication for our brethren and the UNSAVED world around us? Including our government, and government leaders God has placed over us. I wonder if we actually applied ourselves this way as believer’s, if all the wicked policy we see around us might be done away with.
(1 Timothy 2:1-2 – NASB)…..First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
How many have done this today? How much time is done doing this in comparison to our cell phone usage? The prayer of a righteous man avails much? Think of what might happen if we took serious the office of prayer, especially when it comes to our government, our government leaders, and the policies we see implemented today. Praying for our leaders is not a useless ritual. God would not tell us to do something in His Word, unless it would make a difference.
Sometimes, when bad things happen, people ask why God allowed them to happen. But we should be asking ourselves why we allowed them to happen: by not obeying God and praying. Maybe if believers were praying as we ought to, we could expect many bad things and difficult times to be avoided.
Since God told us to pray for our leaders, it is our responsibility. Of course, we shouldn’t limit ourselves to praying only for our leaders. We should pray for all people. But we must not forget to pray for our leaders. And not just when we face difficult times, either.