Happy 5th of July!

Yesterday’s 4th of July message is important to remember all year. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 teaches Christians to pray for those in authority, however many Christians complain more than they pray. 

 

Psalm 2:10-12 contains three qualities we need to pray into the hearts of our leaders:

 

1. Discernment

2. Worship

3. Joy

 

Verse 10

 

Discernment is the ability to see clearly what’s right and wrong, wise and foolish, good and bad, smart and stupid. When you’re untangling an oil spill crisis, an energy crisis, an economic crisis, and a health care crisis on top of wars and tricky legislation with lives at stake in a fog of myriad opinions – you need divine, miraculous discernment. We must pray for God to bless our leaders with the ability to see clearly by the light of Scripture.

 

Verse 11a and 12a

 

Worship is acknowledging and responding to God’s worth. When leaders don’t worship God, they worship people, plans, politics, power, or possibilities – all useless idols. Like trying to navigate in the sea at night with no horizon point, leading without a proper view of God will lead to shipwreck every time. The times are changing. So are popularly held morals, desires, taboos, and every other aspect of life. God is the only fixed point by which we can navigate through life. We must pray for God to bless our leaders with hearts that worship him above all else.

 

Verse 11b

 

Joy is God’s desire for our leaders. I’m amazed that at the close of this chapter about the cosmic struggle between the nations and God that he mentions his desire for our leaders’ joy. In a nation where presidents go gray before they finish their inaugural address, we need to pray for God to bless our leaders with discernment, worship, and joy.

 

Our leaders can’t do their job if we don’t do ours. Let’s pray rather than complain, that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. (1 Timothy 2:2b)