Why Bother Praying For Our Nation

Our nation has been drifting further and further from God for years.  On almost a daily basis we read about laws being passed to remove God's word from our government.  This week there was talk about not using the Bible during the Presidential Inauguration.  Thankfully the petitioning of God's blessing and protection upon this nation was still a part of the inauguration ceremony.

It is easy to get discouraged and feel that it is a waste of time to continue to pray for our nation, especially when the Bible tells us that as the time of Christ's return grows nearer things will just get worse.  So why should we bother to pray for this nation that seems determined to turn its back on God?  We continue to pray because God Still Answers Prayer and His Word is the same yesterday, today and forever.

In I Timothy 2:1-4, Paul instructs Timothy to pray, intercede and offer thanks for all people, even for kings and those in authority over us.  The reason we should pray - so that we can live in godly peace and dignity.  In the New English Translation, Paul says "Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior, since he wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.

It is hard sometimes to find an American who has something positive to say about our government and the choices our leaders are making.  Perhaps that is another reason we should be praying for our leaders.  After all, when we are praying for someone we are far less likely to criticize them.

Spiritual Goals

January is the month for setting new goals and resolutions.  What are your spiritual resolutions and goals for the coming year.  I have set my goals for this year from the apostle Paul's letter to the Colossians.  In Colossians 1:9, Paul tells the Colossians that he has not ceased to pray for their spiritual growth.  It will take a lifetime to attain many of these goals but my prayer is to continue to grow in each area.

• Lord, fill me with the knowledge of Your will in spiritual wisdom and understanding.
• Help me, Lord, to walk in a manner worthy of being called Your child.
• May I please You, Lord, in all respects.
• Lord, may I bear fruit in every good work.
• Lord, help me to increase in Your knowledge every day.
• Lord, strengthen me with power, according to Your glorious might.
• Lord, may I remain steadfast.
• Lord, increase my patience as I do Your work.

Lord, I do not consider myself to have attained any of these goals.  Help me, like Paul, to continue to press toward the prize of Your calling.

Submitting To Authority

The idea of submitting to anyone goes against our human nature.  When Satan entered the Garden of Eden and tempted Eve the temptation centered around submission.  Would she continue to submit to God and obey his instructions or would she assert her own free will and reject God's authority.  Since that time one individual's insistence on inserting their free will over another's has been the start of mankind's freefall to destruction.

Yet God is clear in his instruction on submission, especially in his instruction on submission to those who have been placed in authority over us.  God's Word says we are to submit to all human institutions (I Peter 2:13), leaders (Hebrews 13:7) and governing authorities (Romans 13:1).
Human institutions would include those in leadership in our government, the President, Governor, Mayor, etc.  Leaders are parents, teachers and pastors.  Governing authorities include all of the above including law enforcement, employers, supervisors and leadership positions within the church.

Why is submitting to leadership so important to God and, therefore, to us?  Actually God gives us several reasons.

• All authority, whether human or spiritual, has been appointed by God.  (Romans 13:1)
• They have been appointed to keep watch over our souls.  (Hebrews 13:17)
• As leaders appointed by God, they will give an account of  their work.  (Hebrews 13:17)

Hebrews 13:17 also tells us that it does not profit us anything to resist authority.  We may feel that we are standing for God in doing so but Romans 13:2 warns that when we resist the human authority that God has appointed over us we are opposing the authority of God and will bring condemnation upon ourselves. Instead let us choose to follow 1 Peter 2:15 which reminds us that by doing right we can silence the ignorance of foolish men.