Tips on Tuesday: Pray for Men and Kings

With primaries and elections happening around us, I've been captured by the thought of our responsibility as citizens to "pray for men and kings and all who are in authority" and how that relates to modern life. The scripture I'm referencing is 1 Timothy 2: 1-3.

1 Timothy 2: 1-3 (21st Century King James Version)
I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and for all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,



1 Timothy 2: 1-3 (The Message)
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.

Applying this scripture to today, I have been led to think about how we think about our leaders. Do we lift them up in prayer or do we tear them down? I admit that I'm not always so supportive of elected officials, especially when I strongly disagree with their decisions. But I've been instructed here to pray for them. So I've been working on this. I pray for them to have wisdom to make decisions wisely. I pray for them to be surrounded by men and women of God who can help shape their thoughts with regard to God's instructions for all of us that are found in the Bible. With elections coming up, I am now praying for the candidates. I pray that those elected will also 'rule well' so we can live a quiet and peaceable life.

Take a few minutes today to think about what this scripture means to you and in your life. I hope you will join me in lifting up our leaders in prayer.