Scripture: As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away. – 1 Samuel 12:23-25
Observation: The people had asked for a king, and God had given them one – Saul. However, Samuel told the people they had sinned in asking for a king to rule over them instead of God, but there was hope if they and their king followed God.
Application: I’ve heard on more than one occasion 1 Samuel 8:6-9 mentioned in reference to the upcoming election. Those verses read: “But when they said, ‘Give us a king to lead us,’ this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: ‘Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.’”
In other words, the people who I've heard this from believe the country is now pleading for a “rock star” president, one who will incite change and who is the opposite of the current president. I’m not sure on my take on that, but if you do feel as if history is repeating itself, I think 1 Samuel 12:23-25 should also be taken into consideration. Why? Because there is HOPE.
We should pray for whoever is elected president on Nov. 4. It doesn’t matter if we voted for him or whether we like his policies. Either man will need our prayer. Our nation will need our prayer.
Barack Obama and John McCain both know what is wrong and right. Both men have had the opportunities to learn God’s word. Yet both men could lead us into an immoral abyss.
I strongly believe what my pastor said a few months ago in church: If America is going to change for the better, Christians will have to ignite that change. We have to pray. We have to witness. We have to stand up for what is right.
First they came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.
-- (attributed to) The Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945
Prayer: God, now more than ever we need to be bold. We need to be prayer warriors. Our country is in need of a Godly leader who trusts You and believes in You. I pray for salvation for those who are lost, and I pray those who do know You grow closer to You. Our world needs You.
5 comments:
Great encouragement! I am praying much!
p.s.
Our kids are now 9,8,7,6, & 4
So appropriate...You rock. I forwarded this to my mom :)
You're right on the money :)
Well, there is a different comparison going on here-- I mean, America was never called by God to be a theocracy. We were never God's chosen people in a national sense.
But putting that aside for the moment, I think you have a very accurate point-- I think that God gives us the leaders we deserve, and it should tell us something by the leader that gets elected on Nov 4.
And you're doubly right that we need to pray for whomever it is-- because it's commanded (I Tim 2). Paul tells us that we're to try to be peacemakers and get along in the sense that the fruit of the spirit has no law against it, and we shouldn't antagonize for the purpose of picking fights.
Wow. That quote from Rev. Martin Niemollar scares me to my very soul.
Regardless of who gets into office, they are going to need our prayers. Well said.
Post a Comment