Television broadcasts are flooded with last-minute campaign ads, canvassers are making their final trips knocking on doors to get out the vote, and our phones are exploding with urgent-sounding text messages. In the midst of all the rushing and noise, followers of Christ should slow their pace and come humbly before the Almighty God in prayer. As the election draws near, we should be praying in a spirit of Christian love, expressing heartfelt concern for the nation, the candidates, and the process. Such prayer should include adoration, confession, lament, and petition.
Adoration
When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he opened with adoration: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” When we begin prayers humbly acknowledging the holiness and majesty of the one true God, we focus our attention on the proper context for political engagement: God’s kingdom coming, God’s will being done on earth as in heaven.
Beginning our prayers for this election season with adoration of our all knowing and all powerful God, who is our loving heavenly Father, frees us from engaging politics out of fear. It also frees us from focusing on our own self interest. Instead, we enter God’s presence in awe of his holiness, with humility and gratitude.
Confession
Before we bring requests to God, prayers of individual and corporate confession reflect our encounter with his holiness. Confession acknowledges our personal sins, admitting specific things we have done and have failed to do that fall short of God’s glory so that we enjoy restored fellowship as forgiven sinners. But confession goes beyond our individual shortcomings. We also need to identify with the failures of our communities, acknowledging collective sin and structural evil.
Daniel offers a powerful example when he confesses the sin of his people as his own:
Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land. (Dan. 9: 4-6)
Even Daniel, a model of steadfast faith in the face of persecution, identified himself with those who turned away from God’s laws.
It is far too easy to overlook the need for confession, but this essential Christian practice reminds Christians to engage political life with humility and gratitude as forgiven sinners, not with self righteousness or self importance.
Lament
We can and should also come before God with lament, crying out to God with our deepest questions and frustrations. The Bible records many prayers of lament. Many of the prophets offered laments to God, including the entire Old Testament book devoted to Lamentations. Laments are the most common type of prayer recorded in the Psalms. Even Jesus himself lamented, as when he cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46).
The realities of injustice and suffering in our nation and around the world should cause us to lament. Much has transpired in this election season that leaves us asking God, “why?” The practice of lament allows us to give our cares and fears to God so we can rest in his faithfulness and love.
Petition
Lament also makes us attuned to suffering, leading us to bring our requests before God. The turmoil of the election season highlights our need to offer prayers of petition for political leaders and candidates, our communities, our nation, and the world.
Scripture speaks directly about how we are to interact with those in power. Consider Paul’s words to Timothy:
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 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 people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2:1-4)
We are called to plead before God for political leaders, and we are called to thank God for them. Why? So we can live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness, and so we can please God who wants all people to be saved.
This call to prayer doesn’t mean that we have to agree with everything our political leaders do, and it leaves room for us to challenge views we think are wrong. From the context of the Roman Empire, Paul reminds us that our posture towards those in authority—if we voted for them or not, and if we plan to vote for them or not—must first of all be one of prayerful concern and thanksgiving.
This prayerful posture extends to candidates as well. Whatever our personal views of the candidates, we need to be praying for them with sincerity. Campaigns bombard us with hateful messages designed to evoke anger and fear. Instead of taking the bait, we should pray for the candidates and their families, for their personal safety and wellbeing, and for their growth in wisdom.
We also need to be praying for ourselves and our Christian witness in such divisive times. Instead of devoting our energy to winning arguments or scoring political points, let’s pray that we can be faithful witnesses by living lives worthy of the gospel.
Thinking about the election should prompt us to pray that we may be more deeply formed in godly virtues such as these listed in the letter to the Colossians:
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Col. 3:12-15)
If we are clothed with these virtues when we engage in politics, our humility will help others see the love of Christ. Elections matter, but our foremost concern should not be political victories. Our fundamental calling is to love God and neighbor; it’s not about winning or losing elections.
This campaign season has been full of anger, vitriol, and scorn. As Election Day nears, join me with a renewed commitment to prayer.
