A Prayer for Voting

Lord, we recognize You as sovereign. You are a holy, merciful and just God. You care for the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized. You welcome those who have been blessed with resources to come into Your kingdom way. You are friend to those who call on You in spirit and in truth and avenger to those who shed blood on the innocent and defenseless.

Lord, this political season has brought out the worst in us. We’ve become a people of the Party instead of a people of the Kingdom. We’ve claimed to act in Your name but our hearts have been elsewhere. We’ve fallen short and this season has exacerbated a deep, innate longing to dwell with You for eternity. Forgive us for demeaning friends and holding to “our way or the highway.” Forgive us for forgetting that each human being has a soul and was formed by You in the womb. We are a fickle, shallow people when pressures and stresses push in from all sides. We can only take so much.

We thank You for democracy. We thank You for the privilege to exercise voting every four years. We thank You for this freedom we have. We are grateful that, in addition to our voting, You call us to partner with You in bringing about reform to our nation. You call us to come alongside and care for the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized. You call us to use our resources for blessing rather than cursing. You call us to “walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh.” You not only call us to these things, but You empower us to live into these things by the power of Your Spirit.

O Lord, if our candidate we voted for wins the election, remind us to not be comfortable. If our candidate we voted for doesn’t win the election, remind us not to be bitter and fall into despair. We live in democracy. There is still work to be done and there are tasks and jobs that our government will seldom address, but the Church can rise up and take on those jobs and tasks. Empower us to be people who will choose to get involved rather than remain sidelined. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear the cries of our fellow man, and help us to act accordingly.

Let us be reminded that the kings and kingdoms of this world will pass away, heaven and earth will pass away, but Your words won’t pass away. Ground us in Your truth and hope. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.