PRAY FOR ALL

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Those of you who have been faithful readers of this little blog know that I am “not too political” despite working with a bunch of them each day. 

In fact, and I can’t make this up, I am penning this from Washington DC on Election Day, a day that will “change things”.  And whether it is for the better or for the worse is a matter of personal proclivity.  But Paul gave Timothy some sound instruction and advice about this in his first letter to him.

In fact, it opens each OFH that I have written or will write.

“The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.”

But if you read further, Paul says this too and I offer it in a different translation, the Passion.

Instruction on Prayer

2 Most of all, I’m writing to encourage you to pray with gratitude to God. Pray for all men with all forms of prayers and requests as you intercede with intense passion. 2 And pray for every political leader and representative, so that we would be able to live tranquil, undisturbed lives, as we worship the awe-inspiring God with pure hearts.

Paul said to PRAY for ALL of them.

Pray for them in order to create peace!

That is pray for the BLUE ones and the RED ones.

OUCH!

And being transparent, I struggle with that.

But a recent trip to Rhode Island has helped me embrace Paul’s encouragement a little better.

My new friend Ray is running for his TOWN COUNCIL today, the TOWN COUNCIL of Portsmouth Rhode Island.  Ray is from the “other party” so to speak.  And yet I am praying and supporting Ray on his quest today.  And no, Ray’s election does not impact me directly and some will say correctly that do that is “easy”, and it is, but hang with me a second.

Ray and I differ in our political vision, but our UNITY as brothers in CHRIST supersedes all of that.  Ray is pretty “blue” in his views.  Remember Rhode Island gave their nod to Bernie Sanders in 2016.  But we don’t, and we won’t allow our DIFFERENCES to SUPERCEDE our critical similarity.

With Ray that is easy for me.  With some others, I know I must evaluate my heart and make some changes.  And after talking with a good friend yesterday about this very topic as we wait for today’s results, I was reminded that often I don’t have to “believe everything you believe to care about what you care about.”

And at the end of today the leaders that are left in charge need our prayers because the ISSUES we face locally and nationally will NOT change with a close of the polls.  The work is still there.  The needs are still there and as Paul points out ALL those leaders that are elected to lead need our prayer.

And I know that can’t be easy, but following Jesus’ lead on things like this is “never easy”.

Remember, He said:

“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” – Matthew 5:43-48 (MSG)

Enough said?

Pray for ALL today and never forget…

We may make our plans, but God has the last word – Proverbs 16:1 (GNT)

Have a blessed DAY!

I love you all.

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE