“For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong.” Thus says Psalm 125, one of the psalms written as songs of pilgrimage. These psalms were sung as the pilgrims made their way to Jerusalem for one of the great national festivals. As they headed to the capital city, they were praying for the nation.
What the psalmist is saying is God’s people would go astray if they were under ungodly leadership. The sad fact is it often happened just that way in Israel’s history.
Our situation is a little different. God no longer deals with an actual nation as his covenant people, but with the church scattered throughout the nations of the world.
The way Paul applies the Biblical principle is by exhorting believers to pray for those in authority, in order that we could live a peaceful life and freely proclaim the good news of the gospel (1 Timothy 2).
Something that disturbs me is the way in which Christians often fall into the same kind of critical spirit toward leaders that we see everyone else exhibiting. It is not our job to trash our political leaders, but to pray for them.
You may not agree with the political leaders you have, but if you pray for them, you will be placing your confidence in a profound Biblical truth: God is in charge of leaders and nations. Paul makes it clear in Romans 13 that all authority is appointed by God.
The ultimate leader he was speaking of when he wrote those words was Nero, who went mad, burned Rome and blamed the Christians, whom he then put to death. Even if a leader is wicked, like Nero, we are called to give due honour so long as that honour does not conflict with our obedience to God. In that case, we have to be ready to pay the price of discipleship. Paul did it in a Roman prison, Bonhoeffer did it in a Nazi prison and Watchman Nee did it in a communist prison.
But we are not living under Nero or Hitler. At least in the west, we are living in countries where our leaders’ powers are limited and we can replace them if we choose.
If we take seriously the principle that God is concerned with issues of leadership, then Christians should be also. It doesn’t mean that we are all politically involved, but we should at least be politically aware.
To pray for our leaders is a command, not an option. And beyond this, we have a responsibility in prayer, and perhaps in action, to support Christians we know who feel called to be active in the political field.
Cynicism has invaded our society, and no more so than in the political realm. Cynicism is corrosive and desperately damaging. It destroys both trust and hope. It may be out there in the world, but it has no place in the body of Christ.
So let’s stop bad-mouthing our leaders, or worse, other peoples’ leaders, and start praying for them instead. Better to pray that God change a leader’s heart than throw dirt at a leader God has allowed to be in place.
Political leadership is an utterly thankless job these days. I don’t know why anyone in their right mind would engage in it. We know some who have, and they have our support and admiration.
If you know a Christian who has been called to that place, there’s never been a better time than now to support them by your encouragement and your prayers.
If you don’t like the person in office now, you can always vote them out in the next election. But in the meantime your Biblical duty is to pray for them, because whether you like it or not, God put them there. Even Nero.
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AWAKENING MINISTRIES // FOUNDATION of FAITH Project
Foundation of Faith Project is strengthening generations in faith and bringing beautiful changes to the communities around them. Through teaching, mentoring and coaching, many are finding out who they are and who they are destined to be. They are bringing more to their world. David Campbell is the key leader in this initiative and you can support him financially directly through Awakening Ministries.
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