Laugh and the World Laughs With You, Cry and You Cry Alone

Last night and today, millions across the country and world are rejoicing and celebrating the election of a new President to the USA. Last night and today, millions more feel a heavy weight on their heart, unease in their mind, and a lack of hope for the future. I do not buy into Obama's vague message of change or hope, because he is an unproven entity who's historic ascendancy to the White House is more due to his celebrity status and what he is not, than what he is. It worries me greatly that my child will be born into a country under a liberal yoke, and I wonder with trepidation what changes we will witness in the next four years.

But, as I have had to remind myself numerous times today, even this is not outside of God's control, will or plan. And so I turn to the Bible to see what it commands of me in relation to a President I did not vote for and do not agree with. 2 Timothy 2:1-4 relays to us a plain command:

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

I have to remember that the kings and those in authority at the time of Jesus and the apostles and Paul were not the most morally upright, principled, peaceful group of leaders. Within that decade, the Roman Emperor would be actively persecuting Christians and often killing them. Yet here Paul shows us that the first and foremost duty of every Christian citizen is not to vote, but to pray. Pray for kings and all those in authority -- including leaders who we do not agree with or like or who may even be trying to hurt us. We pray that God will work through these fallible leaders to bring about peace and freedom, because nothing is outside of the scope of God's power. But most of all we pray because it pleases God and it refocuses our attention away from politics and anger, and towards the righteous King of heaven who cares little about who is Democrat or Republican, but who is brought into the fold of Jesus Christ.

So today I pray for Obama, for the leaders in Congress, the Senate, the Supreme Court, and all the way down to our local authorities. I pray for wisdom, for temperance, for peace to be their unending desire, and for our country's Christians to flourish in their faith under their rule and continue to witness to others for our Lord's namesake.