Praying for Those in Authority

Today the United States of America is inaugurating a new President. One of the amazing things I love about my country is this smooth and peaceful transition of power. I know many are boycotting watching the inauguration or even listening to news about it. I won’t be one of those, because I find the whole event as such a powerful statement of who we are as a nation, the leaders of often opposing ideologies cordially great one another and their families to pass the baton of leadership.

There was moment that is engraved in my memory of the 2008 inauguration, when President Obama was being sworn in and President Bush was leaving office. There was a moment when the two men shook hands and embraced. It wasn’t one of those hugs that you see after a game when opponents congratulate each other. It seemed like a cross between the sincerity of passing a heavy burden and responsibility, knowing the toll it takes, and a blessing. No longer were they adversaries of different political parties, but more like brothers who share something few ever understand. At least that is how I’ll always see it.

At every church I have pastored, we have a congregational prayer time, where we receive prayer requests for specific concerns. One thing that I always include is a prayer for those in positions of authority; in government, in the church, and on our jobs. We have been praying for President Obama for the past eight years, as we have for presidents before him. We will now be praying for President Trump.

It is my belief that, as Christians, we are called to do just this. I do not see it as an option.

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions,

and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

For kings, and for all that are in authority;

that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour"

(I Timothy 2:1-3).

A few years back, we had a visitor at Shiloh UMC, where I am currently pastor, who approached me after service. He said that he couldn’t pray for our current president and administration. I simply told him that I didn’t think that you could be obedient to scripture and do that. He smiled, walked out of the church, and never came back. Many mistake “praying for” with “agreeing with” and that isn’t how it works.

We are called to pray for our enemies, as well as those we like or who are of like minds with us. We’re called to pray out the love that has been poured out on us. It doesn’t call on us to agree with them or to approve of immoral, unethical acts. In our praying we’re not to turn a blind eye to injustice or hate. But, we are called to walk in love and pray for them. As the man who visited the church, many will disagree, but I continue to pray for those in authority.

Somethin's Happenin' Here...

Tuesday was an amazingly historic day for America. Our new president, Barack Obama, was sworn in as the 44th man to hold that office. There were over 2 million people who braved below freezing temperatures to be there in Washington D.C. for the occasion. Young/old, black/white, rich/poor, celebrities, and everyday people wanted to be there. Most of them couldn't see to the Capitol, except on huge screens placed on the Mall, but that didn't seem to matter, they were there. The inauguration went off without a hitch. The pageantry was beautiful and the words were eloquent. America did herself proud that day. I was struck by the embrace that the outgoing president Bush gave the new president. It seemed to me to be the real passing of the mantle.
We watched the day on our computer in the lab at the doctors office. Technology is a wonderful thing. Millions did as we did and saw it happen and felt like they were there, except maybe a little warmer.

I will be praying for my new president. I will pray for God's guidance to be on him, that he might make wise and Godly decisions that will touch our country and the world. I will pray that God will give him wise and Godly men and women to advise him and mentor him. I will pray for God's angels to be camped about him and his family, to protect them. May God bless our new president and may he be a blessing to our nation.

Going to Vote, Waking the Giant?

The year they made it legal for 18 year olds to vote, I voted for the first time. Since that time I have not missed an election and the opportunity to vote. I haven't always picked the winner, I haven't always made good choices, but I voted, I got counted.

Many people will say the voting is a right or even a privilege. I guess that may be true, but to me it has always been a responsibility, a duty. I have never understood those who didn't vote. Why was America so low in voter turn out, even compared with third world countries? The last election, when I went to vote, I got there at 6 AM and they weren't ready and I had to wait 10 minutes to be the first one to vote. There wasn't another voter there when I arrived or when I finished and departed.

This morning I went to vote. I got there at 20 minutes before 6 AM and there were already 30 to 40 people waiting in line, in the rain, to vote. I cannot describe the feeling I had seeing all those people standing in the rain. Some had umbrellas, most didn't, including me. There was a sense in that line that we were a part of something special.

We went inside at 6 AM, got in our appropriate line, got our names checked off , and voted. The room was full of people out early to vote. I got emotional just watching what was happening. There were old and young, black and white, all there to vote. It was like the sleeping giant had awakened and decided to get involved. I knew that I was looking at the election of my dreams. Whatever the outcome of the election, this was an incredible day.