PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS

“PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS”

Monday, February 21st, 2022

SCRIPTURE:

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:27 (NIV)

THOUGHTS TO PONDER:

Today is Presidents Day. A day that was originally celebrated on February 22nd recognizing George Washington’s birthday. Today, Presidents Day is a federal holiday held on the third Monday in February every year recognizing and celebrating all our nations presidents. As I write today, I can’t help but to think of the Ukrainian/Russian conflict that is quickly unfolding. President Biden (USA) has had conversations with President Putin (Russia), President Zelenskyy (Ukraine), and numerous allies, and members of NATO. As I continue to watch the news and world events unfold each day, I have been encouraged to pray for this conflict, especially for our nation’s leaders, and political leaders around our globe.

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:

Recently at a meeting at church, we seemed to go round and round about our approach to ministry as it relates to Covid. We couldn’t seem to agree on an approach moving forward, that is, until someone spoke up with confidence inviting us to consider the spiritual discipline of fasting and praying specifically for a unified approach to decisions yet to me made. As this person’s pastor, I was encouraged to hear one of our members call us to prayer and fasting. Since then, I’ve been challenged to ask myself if I am asking that of our members often enough? Am I encouraging our members to pray? To fast? To intentionally seek the Lord of all creation on ALL matters?

It's made me think. I can only imagine what would happen if every single pastor across the U.S. were to pause and intentionally fast and pray (continually), seeking wisdom from our God on a consistent and regular basis. I can only imagine what would happen if every church leader and member were to pause and intentionally fast and pray seeking wisdom from our God. I can only imagine what would happen if our nation’s leaders (and even world leaders) would pause and intentionally fast and pray seeking wisdom from our God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our world is in desperate need of a Savior. The world cannot be transformed by the Church until the Church is transformed by Christ. And the Church can’t be transformed by Christ until every pastor, priest, deacon, elder, church leader, and member is transformed by the Power of the Holy Spirit. As each of you know, transformation happens as a result of a personal relationship with our God.

In a recent conversation with an elderly church member in their 80s, we discussed how it seems as though our culture is impacting Christ’s Church … MORE THAN … Christ’s Church is impacting the world in which we live. The apostle Paul reminds us to “not conform to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.” Our minds as clergy persons are to be transformed into the mind of Christ as we seek Him, reading our Bibles, and intentionally fasting and praying seeking wisdom from our Triune God. As our minds and lives are transformed, prayerfully, our churches share in that transformation, and our witness goes out into the world for its transformation too.

No matter what conflict, decision, or opportunity; a) we are facing as a nation, b) your church is facing, or even c) you as an individual are going through, be encouraged to take it to the Lord in prayer. And may our collective witness as Christ’s followers shine His great light into the dark areas of our broken world today.

PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, forgive me for not being more intentional about prayer and fasting and seeking You in ALL things and at ALL times. Help me as a clergy person to set an example for the leaders of Your Church whom You have called me to serve with. Empower each of us with boldness and courage to pause and to pray, seeking Your wisdom and perspective on the world in which we live. Lord Jesus, may Your Holy Spirit reign within my heart. Renew my colleagues, renew Your Church, and renew our collective witness for the transformation of our world and for the sake of Your Kingdom yet to come.

O God, I pray for Your Church across the globe. Empower every pastor, priest, church leader, and member, to bear positive witness to Your great love. I pray for peace to reign down upon us all. May Your peace take up residency within our hearts, within our homes, and within every nation … to the ends of the earth. We pray in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. – Amen

RESOURCE:

Hymn - Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me

Hymn – What a friend we have in Jesus