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FIRST OF ALL, THEN, I URGE THAT SUPPLICATIONS, PRAYERS, INTERCESSIONS, AND THANKSGIVINGS BE MADE FOR ALL PEOPLE, FOR KINGS AND ALL WHO ARE IN HIGH POSITIONS, THAT WE MAY LEAD A PEACEFUL AND QUIET LIFE, GODLY AND DIGNIFIED IN EVERY WAY. I TIMOTHY 2:1-2
PRAYING FOR GOD S SERVANTS (Romans 13:1-7, I Timothy 2:1-2) In I Timothy, Paul urges us to offer prayers, supplications, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all people. He then specifically singles out those who rule over us in high positions, so that we might lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. We d like to offer some help in doing that in a systematic way. Because our democracy allows us to vote for officials from school board members to president, your prayer list for leaders could be extensive and specific at the same time. Your prayer list will be specific to where you live, your knowledge of needs, and your decision to focus on an individual during an especially significant season.
HE RE S T HE PLA N We d like to gather the names and email addresses of prayer warriors across Texas. Our goal is to have people praying for their own elected state representatives and senators so that every one of these leaders is covered during our legislative session, and that they receive regular cards from those who are lifting them up. We d also like to know of people who are praying for our governor, lieutenant governor, U.S. congressmen, and U.S. senators and of course the president.
More personal to your community, we urge you to pray for your mayor, city council, and school board leaders as God brings them to mind. Ideally, your local leaders would come to see your church, especially with a leader who does not attend church, as a virtual chaplain or spiritual resource for himself and his family. Your pastor, a committee, a Sunday School class, or a home prayer group could be the starting point for your prayer ministry to our leaders. Send us the response card and we ll include you in our network. We ve included in this packet a sample prayer list. You ll notice that those leaders specific to your state and national district are not filled out but there is a source whereby you can locate that person s name, email, local office (where applicable), and phone number. Look up your leaders to fill in each of these lines and begin to pray general prayers for God s wisdom, physical protection, submission to God s leadership, and so on. SPECIFIC REQUESTS As you send emails and cards to the leaders for whom you are praying, you may have opportunities to know more about how to pray for them. If you make an appointment to speak with your state representative either by phone or at his Austin office or at his local office, you could ask for specific request. Keep up the relationship and your prayer support will be more specific. It s possible you might even have an opportunity to nurture such a relationship with statewide and national leaders.
TIMELY GENERAL REQUESTS With national leaders it may be necessary to start with a prayer list based on the news. When you read that the president is travelling abroad or negotiating a treaty, pray about that and let him know you did. When you read that a senator or state leader has been ill or suffered some kind of personal grief, pray for that leader about that need and let him know that you did. When you read that the senate or house is considering an important or controversial piece of legislation, pray for guidance and energy for that work, and then write a note that you ve done so. Your prayer list can stay fresh even while you start to build a relationship with someone you ve never met. EMAIL IS BETTER THAN NOTHING Perhaps the writing of several notes a week is not possible for you, or not possible at certain times. All elected leaders have email addresses and they (or their staff members) read those emails diligently. By all means use email to contact their offices to let the elected leaders know you are praying for them. While a handwritten card can be a stronger way to reach out, an email can also minister to those for whom you are praying. NO PRAYER LOBBYING Keep your own political opinions out of prayer correspondence. Your elected leaders may be those with whom you disagree. That needn t be the basis for your prayer relationship. Pray for that leader as a person in whom God has placed great authority, a person who also has the same physical, emotional, and spiritual needs as you do. Neither is It necessary that this spiritual relationship you are developing with a leader keeps you from stating your convictions about a matter of public policy, but do keep these two types of correspondence prayer notes and political notes separate.
USE SCRIPTURE Scripture speaks to the needs of individuals, and of the power of prayer. Include an appropriate quote or citation in your prayer notes to leaders. Pick one that seems particularly meaningful to you. This will keep your prayer fresh and godly. It will also give scriptural power to your relationship with your leaders. PRAY Set a schedule, each day or each week, to pray for those God has laid on your heart. Include time in your schedule to write a short note to encourage those for whom you ve prayed. Begin to seek news items or responses that might give you ideas for more personal prayer for these leaders. Keep these people on your heart and see if God doesn t prompt you toward special needs. Trust him to answer your prayers in the lives of those he has placed in governing authority over us all.
terlc@sbtexas.com @pray4officials