A Call to Prayer
By: Dan Seale
Last night about 50 of our Redeemer family gathered together via zoom to pray for our nation, our church and the kingdom of God. Matt Newkirk, our missionary to Japan, also joined us for this sweet time of prayer. Together, we looked to our faithful and sovereign God, and entrusted our hopes, our fears, our nation, and our church to Him. What unified us was not our political ideology, but our citizenship in heaven and the fact that we are adopted children of God, a God who is King over all creation. May we continue to seek His face on behalf of our country (Jeremiah 29:7), praying for peace and civility in our nation and our city and godly wisdom for our leaders, local and federal (1 Timothy 2:1-2; James 1:5).
Tomorrow, Redeemer Radio reflects on the gift, and delight of prayer. We have the ear of the creator of the world! He invites us to share our hearts, our hopes, our desires, our successes and failures with him. What a gift and joy God invites us to talk with him! In this episode we discuss challenges to prayer, catalysts to prayer and the importance of personal, constant, and corporate prayer. We invite you to tune in here: Website | Spotify | Apple.
Over the years, I have been encouraged by Pastor Scotty Smith, who writes a daily prayer. I invite you to prayerfully read today’s inauguration day prayer.
A prayer from Scotty Smith:
“Pray… for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” 1 Tim. 2:2
“Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right…” Rom. 13:3-4
King Jesus, it is comforting to address you today as our sovereign and loving King. Indeed, you are already “King of kings, and Lord of lords” (Rev. 19:16)—the “ruler of the kings of the earth” (Rev. 1:4-5), and of everything else.
This is a day of transition and tension in America, and we need the peace you alone can give, the grace we are going to need, and the hope to which you have called us.
In glad submission to you, we pray for the two “kings” (presidents) we will have today as American citizens. In the final hours of President Trump’s term, we praise you for what you accomplished through his presidency that matters most to you—for that is all that really matters. We pray your blessing on Donald Trump, and his family, in their transition.
Likewise, we pray for the beginning of soon-to-be President Biden’s term. We pray your blessing on Joe Biden and his family as they transition into a roll of immeasurable responsibility, at a time of great uncertainty.
King Jesus, as in the last 4 years, so in the upcoming 4, help us trust your heart and hand more than we fear or revere any mere man. We know the “peaceful and quiet” life we crave will only be fully ours in the new heaven and new earth. But until then, make us more zealous than ever to live lives marked by “godliness and dignity”—not fear and conspiracy, rancor and raging.
Free us from under-believing the Gospel, and over-believing all the spin and sin swirling around us, and in us. The nations—all of them, are your province and inheritance. You haven’t called us to “take back” anything for you, but to “take in” the reach of your sovereignty and the riches of the Gospel. Humble and gentle us. Forgive and free us. So very Amen we pray, in your great and gracious name.