Pray for Authority

Weekly Update – July 18th, 2024

On Saturday, July 13^th, just before 6:15pm, a shooter at a rally for Donald Trump shot the former president in the ear in an assassination attempt.  There has not been a president injured in an assassination attempt since Ronald Reagan was shot on March 31^st, 1981. Therefore, what we witnessed just a few days ago, makes this a rare event in American history.  The next day, when we as a church gathered, we prayed for Trump and our political climate during our prayer of petition.  We read from 1 Timothy 2:1-4 explaining our call as Christians to pray for those in authority over us, such as leaders and those in high positions.  This week, I want to explain why this is important and why we should continue to pray for our political climate.

First, we pray for our political climate and our leaders because the Bible commands us.  Again, to highlight 1 Timothy 2:1-2, we read this: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions…”  At the time when Paul wrote this letter, emperor Nero was reigning in Rome.  He was an insane man, who after the great fire in Rome in A.D. 64, blamed Christians and began severe persecution of them. Rumor has it that he had Christians thrown to dogs, nailed to crosses, and on occasion, he dipped Christians in oil, set them on fire, and used the light to illuminate his gardens at night. Again, 1 Timothy was also written around this time (A.D. 64).  This means that Christians were called to pray for their emperor and the political climate, when it was extremely tumultuous and chaotic, especially for them.

Second, we pray for our political climate and our leaders because we are called to live a quiet life.  First Timothy 6:1-2a commands us to pray, but the second part of verse 2 gives us the reason.  It says, “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”  The church is to show the world around it that our longing is not for a chaotic political climate where we engage in hurling insults at those we disagree with, feed into the fear that our leaders may promote or frantically pace around over what a leader might do in the future.  Instead, we are to pray for those in authority, as well as those who might be put into authority, displaying that our hope is in God and not in the processes of this world.  This leads to not only a “godly and dignified” life, but an evangelistic witness, as we show those around us the peace that surpasses their understanding.

Third, we pray for our political climate and our leaders because we honor those in authority.  First Peter 2:13-14 says, “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish evil and to praise those who do good.”  Romans 13:1 explains this authority a bit clearer for us when Paul writes, “…For there is no authority except from God.” That means that no matter how good or how wicked, no matter if we like the policies or dislike the policies or if we like the character or don’t like the character of our government officials, we pray for them because they are appointed over us by God.  This also means that we may participate in the political process, and we should, but ultimately it is God who oversees elections and sets in power the ones who rule over us.  Therefore, we honor our president, our leaders and those who are in authority, because it is God who has placed them there.

There is a balance that we must understand as the people of God.  We are members of the kingdom of God through faith in Jesus Christ.  This means that we are “sojourners and exiles” in this world (1 Pet. 2:11).  At the same time, we exist in a real time and location, which for us, makes us citizens of the United States.  Yet, we show our membership in the kingdom of God by living faithfully as citizens in this world. The clearest way to do this, given to us in the scriptures, is to pray. 

Serving Him with You,
Pastor Michael Nelson