A Prayer For Our President-Elect

 

Father God, sovereign ruler of the universe and all who dwell in it, Your Word was never clearer than when it instructed Your people to offer ‘prayers, intercession and thanks- giving for kings and all those who rule in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.’  In obedience to this command we intercede for our president-elect, Barack Obama.  His inauguration on the 20th of January will truly be an historic occasion.

 

We begin by asking that You protect and keep him and his loved ones from all harm and danger.  May Your angels be as a fence around them, alerting and warning them and those assigned to protect them, from any who would hurt or harm them.

 

Grant him health of body and purity of heart.  May he draw his strength form daily communion with You, and his wisdom from a serious reading of Your Word.   May the compass which guides him through troubled waters be the words of Jesus when he said, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.  Blessed are the merciful for they shall be shown mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God.  Blessed are You when people insult You and persecute You and falsely say all kinds of evil against You, because of me."   May both his prayer life and his reading of Your truth help him to know virtue from vice, goodness from godlessness and servant hood from the serving of self.   

 

May he have us and all who serve with him, looking in a new direction: one of peace and prosperity, compassion and cooperation, harmony and tranquility.  Give him courage to do what is right even if it is not popular or expedient.  May he never cower or cringe when facing difficult decisions.  May he use the power of his office to do that which will find favor in Your eyes.

 

Surround him, we pray, with women and men of integrity and character, wisdom and vision, discernment and passion who will not submit to bribe or give in to greed.    May they, like our president, seek to make our nation known for its compassion and its charity, its uprightness and its justice, its pursuit of peace and at the same time its readiness to put down evil and evil men.  

 

Father, forgive us if we have asked for too much, but in Your love and mercy grant our requests to be a nation under God, equal to all the challenges before us.  Amen.