Risk is a favourite game of my youth. What was almost always true of a game of Risk was our ability to leave the politics and war on the game board. Life is not like the board game of Risk. Politics and war are not left on a game board, they are real and make their way into everyone's day.
We can't open the paper, watch the television or scroll through any multi-media site without being bombarded by the political mess, moral decay and terrorism in the world today. My heart breaks daily for the losses that I see and hear about. There seems to be no end to the devastation on so many levels.
So many of the people around me continue to be a slave to fear and anger. Even today as I sit and write this a group of people are discussing Saudi Arabia, Trudeau, and ISIS. I am sure that the conversation will move to another government issue soon.
I have carefully chosen to consider my role in this whole epidemic.
There is one thing that I will do irregardless, and that is to pray. The Apostle Paul tells his evangelist/preacher disciple Timothy to pray for those in leadership and authority.
"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:1-4)
In a time of constant upheaval and fear our first interest is to our own concerns but Paul tells us to pray for those who are in leadership and authority over us. To pray and petition, to be in consistent and unfaltering intercession for those that make decisions for us all.
Beyond praying for the decisions that they make, we are to pray for their souls. We are to see our leaders as more than just a complexity of ideas and images and see them as human beings in need of the love that comes only through Jesus Christ. We are to pray that they would find Him who saves.
Seeing people as one dimensional is something I admit to struggling with and I know that I am not alone. This relational laziness dismisses the reality that people are people with souls. Instead we label them and treat them as cardboard pictures and throw our darts of frustration and anger, fear and distrust at them.
We are called to love. Today and everyday I am expected to demonstrate that love through prayer. Prayer for a group of people that are as desperately in need of saving grace from God as I am.
When I pray for those in authority, for those responsible for the country that I inhabit and those around the world that have influence, I also consider these other short lines from Psalm 146:
"Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is in the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God." (vs 3-4)
I am reminded that the authorities of this world come and go. They are human, they are vulnerable as I am because death comes to us all. The only thing that is eternal is our God. Even the ideas, laws and culture of today will come to an end, but the love and justice of God is eternal.
For these reasons I pray. I pray in earnest for the redemption of their souls and for the souls of their children because the days are short and they are limited. I pray for our Prime Minister, I pray for our Premier, and I pray for those around the world that impact the decedents of Adam and Eve and need the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
Join me in prayer, in a revolution of prayer.
