Transcript: Scott Craig, I find it very difficult to pray for the current administration. I know they need it desperately. How do I overcome this struggle? So, let me actually take you to scripture and give you some guidance that a lot of people don’t notice. First Timothy 2, and in this passage, what we’re going to read is the instruction we have on praying for leaders. Alright, here we go. Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. And then he’s going to describe what kinds of men: for kings and all who are in authority.

Okay, so here’s where you might get like, I know I should be praying for the administration, like the president, the vice president, the congress, and everybody involved in different governmental positions. But look at the purpose of the prayers. It’s interesting that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

So the prayer, it seems, at least part of the reason to pray—not the only reason, but part of the reason to pray for those who are in leadership—is that they might make good choices so that the people under their leadership can live quiet and peaceful lives in godliness and reverence. Lord, I pray that you help our president and vice president and our congress, right? That you help the senate and the house of representatives to make choices that will allow us to live in quiet and peaceful lives in godliness and reverence, to not restrict our religious freedoms, to not cause oppression, to basically clear a way for people to live good lives. That would be a focus of prayer.

So there’s also prayers for them to be saved, for them to be converted, and that’s also important to pray. But I think it’s interesting that when they’re brought up specifically here in First Timothy 2, it seems to be prayers because these people influence everyone. So we’re praying for all people; let’s pray for the leaders of all people, that people would be blessed. God, please help our country, that we as a people would be helped to be able to live godly lives. So that’s an interesting angle of prayer. You can pray that. You can pray for the current administration, that they make better choices and good, godly decisions for people.

Yeah, now on the other hand, Scott, if there’s bitterness in your heart towards them, what I would encourage you to do is model the early church, like with Jesus praying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” There needs to be an attitude in my heart as a Christian of gracious love, even towards those who may have earned my bitterness, because that’s God’s attitude towards me—gracious love even towards me, who has earned His bitterness. And that’s very important to do.

One of the ways we do this is we commit judgment to the Lord. Okay, so God is going to deal with all leaders and every decision they make, and every president of the country we’ve ever had will one day stand before God and be judged according to His holiness and goodness and according to the truth of Christ. Knowing that should give you the peace to say, “You know what, Lord? I’m going to be gracious and kind. They will stand before you. I’m not their judge. I don’t have to have any angst about any of this stuff. You’re going to deal with it, Lord. Let me just have a right and godly Christian attitude.” That would be my advice on that one. I sure hope it helps.

4o

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