Prayer for our Nation

After reading Lamentations, chapters 4-5 this morning, I just began praying, and this is where it went...

Oh Father, I pray for this nation. I pray for the leaders of our nation. Today and every day, fill them with Your spirit and Your guidance.

Father, as we are going into a time of elections, as the debates and the “positioning” has begun… open our eyes as we seek whom we should vote for, lead us in our choice of leaders, and decision makers…

But oh Lord, even as we pray this prayer, as we cry out, we are afraid that You will give us what we “deserve.” That in giving us what we “need” You will allow us to be carried into “captivity” as You did those who bore Your very Name.

But in many ways, we are already in captivity - the captivity of our souls and our hearts. How? By the “prince” of this world? No, we don’t even recognize that there is such a person.

By the “things” of this world? No, for we “need” every thing we have… so we think.

Really?

Fifty million dollar yachts? Million dollar “second” homes? Several hundred square-foot closets!? Oh God! Forgive us!

And even for us to whom such spending seems vulgar - may we take a long and hard look at our own spending… for “he who is unfaithful in little, will be unfaithful in much…”

Father we realize that it isn’t the money, or the earning of money that is evil - it is what we do with it! We are entrusted with such a huge amount of the world’s resources, and yet… still… the world is hungry… And we must ask ourselves, is my neighbor hungry?

Please Father, don’t give us what we deserve. Don’t give us what we need. Have mercy on us, and forgive us. And lead us to elect a leader who will bring us back to the place of righteousness… unless we have gone too far…

God I pray for revival in this land, in our churches and in our own hearts. I pray that we Your people, who are called by Your name, will turn from our ways, and pray, and that indeed, You will heal our land…

In Jesus’ Name - Amen