CrossTalk: The Voting Is Over, Now Pray

By the time you read this column, most of the votes cast in yesterday’s general election will have been tabulated and the winners announced. That fact makes today an important pivot point in the hearts and minds of Christian citizens.

Right up until yesterday, it was your sacred duty to judge the character and the competence of those who ran for public office. For this reason we owe a debt of gratitude to everyone who did so. They willingly put themselves out there to be judged by all their fellow citizens. Anybody who has the courage to do that has my deep respect.

Inasmuch as you are a citizen of this state, you had a God-given duty to speak and vote for the election of godly men and women who understand the will of God for society and who will govern by God’s Word.

But that was yesterday. Today is a new day.

Today your God-given duty is to accept the outcome of those elections as the will of God. Whether your candidate prevailed or not, St. Paul assures us that “there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1).

This, of course, does not mean that God endorses and approves of everything that every elected person represents or does. But it does mean that God, in his wisdom and for his own good purposes, wants everyone who was elected yesterday to serve in that particular place and time.

Therefore, we can praise God! “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,” said Daniel, “[for] he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Daniel 2:20-21). That’s the first way of accepting yesterday’s results.

This attitude of faith leads directly to our primary duty as Christian citizens. “First of all,” writes Paul, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). 

Satan hates quiet and peaceable societies as much as he hates individuals. For that reason, when God places people into public office, he puts them on the front lines of a spiritual battle.

Their bodies are in danger due to the danger of travel and the stress that is put on their families and health. Their souls are in danger because of the temptations that come from wielding great power. So, pray that God would protect and defend them in body and soul.

The job of making and enforcing just laws in a broken and sinful world can be extremely complicated. Those making them will need to weigh a bewildering number of factors—many of which they could not have dreamed of before getting into office.

When Solomon was made king, he had the foresight and humility to recognize that his task was impossible unless God supplied the wisdom. So, he asked God for wisdom and thus became the greatest king ever to rule (2 Chronicles 1:10).

Elected officials may neglect to ask wisdom for themselves, or may not know how. But you can take Solomon’s example and pray that God would give wisdom to all who have been elected to public office.

“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1). So, pray not only that they would govern wisely but also that God would prosper their work.

And if unwise decisions are made, you can and should pray that God would thwart the schemes of all who would do evil. This is an extremely important function of Christian citizens and we should do it every day.

Finally give God hearty thanks for the good that he has given in the people who are elected. Nobody is perfect. But it is wicked to focus only on their faults and not also to acknowledge the good that God is doing through them.

You who live by faith that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords can and should rejoice and give thanks that he is working through all elected officials to accomplish his own good purposes.