How to Pray in an Election
By Pastor Ellis White
Senior Pastor
Last Monday, I sat down to read the news, and I felt the weight of what many of us are feeling—a sense that this election holds so much at stake. I came across a Wall Street Journal poll revealing that 87% of voters believe America will suffer permanent damage if their candidate loses. No matter which side you’re on, that kind of intensity can feel overwhelming. The atmosphere around our nation, as we approach next week, is undoubtedly one of fear.
I was grateful for one of our elders, who led our devotional at our Session (elder board) meeting a couple of weeks ago. He called us to remember several things as we approach this election, and out of that devotional, I want to share with you how you might want to pray in the coming days and weeks.
Acknowledge God Is in Control
Ultimately, the fate of our nation does not lay in the hands of its people. We serve a God who is sovereign over all things, as the prophet Daniel said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings.”
(Daniel 2:20-21)
And as Job reminds us:
“He makes nations great, and he destroys them;
he enlarges nations, and leads them away.”
(Job 12:23)
As we approach this week, we must begin our prayers by remembering and acknowledging that God is in charge. It can be so easy to think that the powers and authorities of this world are ultimate, when in fact, they are at the mercy of God. By setting our minds and hearts on the sovereignty of God, we can free ourselves from fear that our destiny is in the hands of anyone other than him.
Fix Our Eyes on Eternity
Our elder who led us in our devotions at Session a couple of weeks ago recalled that my predecessor, Pastor Mark, preached in a sermon at one point: “This world is not permanent, America is not our home, and our struggle is a spiritual one, not a political one.” We must choose to remember that we have an eternal home with Jesus, and our American home is only temporary. As Paul writes to the church in Philippi:
“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”
(Philippians 3:20-21)
We are not citizens of this earth, primarily, but citizens of heaven. One day, when we look back on this period, it will seem like the blink of an eye. To that end, our prayers should be prayed with our eyes fixed on that eternal future, remembering that in the end, God will restore all things in Christ Jesus, and we will experience what it is like to live under God’s perfect Kingship.
Pray for the Church’s Unity
It can be easy for the church to become divided in this time, and even more so after the results are announced. However, our unity is not found in our political beliefs, but rather is rooted in the very nature of God. As Jesus prayed in the upper room:
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
(John 17:20-21)
Our unity as the church originates from our unity in Christ. Just as the Father and the Son are one, so, too, are we, followers of Jesus, one in Christ. We must therefore pray that that unity is exhibited more and more, in spite of our political differences, so that the world might know that we have something greater than politics to save us—the gospel of Jesus Christ.
So there’s three different things to help you pray, and if you want to put it all together in one short prayer, it could be something like this:
Father God, in this time of uncertainty and division, we look to you as our source of strength and peace. Remind us of your sovereignty, and help us to keep our eyes fixed on the eternal hope we have in Jesus. Unite us as your church, that we might be a light in the world, showing that our hope is not in any party or candidate but in you alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Finally, if the news feels overwhelming, consider joining us on Tuesday evening from 6:00-7:00 pm for our weekly time of communal pray in the Prayer Chapel. Not only can prayer bring us peace in a time of anxiety, but gathering together in prayer reminds us that we don’t bear these burdens alone. Take the time to quiet your heart, lay your concerns before God, and refocus on what is eternal.
Pastor Ellis
P.S.—We continue our Live the Vision series this Sunday by looking at how we can Care for our community. I’ll see you at 9:00 or 10:30 am, which will feel one hour later than usual, because the clocks go back tonight!