A prayer before the election

Scotty Smith, who blogs a daily prayer here for The Gospel Coalition, posted one today titled "A Prayer for the Day Before the Presidential Election." Smith is pastor for preaching, teaching and worship at Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tenn. I commend his prayer for your consideration on the eve of the election.

Do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matt 6:31-34

At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. Rev. 4:2

Dear heavenly Father, tomorrow we’ll be electing a new president for the United States of America — both a great honor and a very important matter. As your people, you call us to engage in our culture, be good citizens and work for the good of our neighbors. Certainly, making wise choices about the best candidates for public office and voting for them is one of the ways we do so. Grant us wisdom as we prepare to exercise this privilege; but that’s not all we need as we prepare for election day.

Father, we need you to settle our hearts, fix our gaze and fuel our trust in you. If you command us (and you do) not to be anxious about the core issues of life — eating, drinking and clothing, certainly you expect us not to be anxious about who will warm the seat of the oval office. By your [H]oly Spirit, show us today, tomorrow and the next day what you showed your servant John — the occupied, warm-seated throne of heaven. Because you’re not nervous, we shouldn’t be fear-full. Because you are in control, we most definitely aren’t.

As our Father, you know what we need in America, just like you know what is needed in Uganda, the Sudan, Switzerland, Israel and China — for you [are] the pan-national God. We don’t understand all your reasons for choosing to seat certain kings and remove others (Dan. 2:21); the secret things — the mysteries of providence [--] belong to you (Deut. 29:29). But we do know that you’ve already installed Jesus, your Son, as the true and eternal King; and we know that laughter, not consternation, fills the courts of heaven (Psalm 2:4-6).

So help us, in all of our seeking, to seek first your kingdom and the righteousness of your kingdom. We will seek to do that in the polling booth tomorrow, and we will seek to do so today as we turn from our idols to serve you — the one true living God; and as we advocate for the least and the lost in our communities; and as we spend our time, talent and treasure to your glory; and as our thoughts and conversations demonstrate that we really do believe the gospel.

How we praise you for declaring us righteous in Christ, and how we praise you for promising to “put all things right” one Day under his Lordship. This sure hope doesn’t make us passive, nonchalant or indifferent; it compels us to live as your servants until the Day Jesus returns to finish making all things new. Our hope is in you, Father, not in chariots, horses or men. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ triumphant and loving name.