Today is the National Day of Prayer, a day for Christians across America turn to focus on turning to God in prayer and asking him to make himself known in our nation and around the world. Scripture calls us to pray for our government leaders as they exercise God-given authority. In 1 Timothy 2 Paul writes, “I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” Romans 13 tells us that governing authorities are instituted by God for our good. As we pray for our nation, let’s pray for our local and national leaders that God would use them and guide to govern in a manner that honors him.
Let’s also pray for our neighborhoods and communities, asking God to be at work in the hearts and lives of the people around us, and that because of the work he does to transform hearts and lives our communities would become places where life is cherished and God’s design for family is embraced. Prayer is powerful and God works through the prayer of his people. In James we are reminded,
The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for six years and six months it did not rain in the land. Then he prayed again and the land produced its fruit.
Elijah prayed for God’s glory to be displayed in a nation that had turned away from God, and God answered that prayer. Let’s set aside time today to pray that God would be known in our neighborhoods, our state, and our nation and that he would use his people to spread the hope of the gospel. Political involvement and community engagement matter, but we do nothing apart from God. As we seek the good of our state and nation, we must turn to God every step of the way, relying on him to meet our needs and to transform hearts.
