Devotion 

Pray for Leaders

Frances Taylor 

How often do you or I pray for government leaders? Paul doesn't say to pray just for the leaders we like, either. If we do want a tranquil and quiet life, we need all leaders to turn to God and work for justice for all their citizens. It's probably even more important to pray and intercede for those leaders who work against justice, than for those who are already doing the right thing. For those who are already on God's side, we should give thanks to God that they stay in leadership and continue to do God's will. The same goes for city, state, and even church leaders as well as our national and international leaders. Good leaders should be supported and others need to be held to account for their behavior. Obviously different countries have different forms of leadership, but that shouldn't stop us from praying for them. God does listen even if the answer doesn't come as quickly as we might like. In the case of democracies, we sometimes need a bad leader to remind us of the responsibility we have in choosing them. Good looks, a name or money shouldn't be the thing that influences us. Do we investigate their ideas and beliefs regarding justice, or do we just think about what is good for our own pocketbooks or our own prejudices? Do we even bother to vote in local elections, or, for that matter, register to vote at all? With privileges come responsibilities. God has given us privileges and because of them, we have responsibilities, and one of them is to help bring justice to the world. One thing we can all do is pray.

Prayer 

Lord, you have asked us to work for justice in this world and we often forget that the choices we make have an impact on this. May we remember to pray for our leaders for they are important persons in carrying out your plan. Amen.