Prayer for our leaders
Posted in leaders, Misti's Posts, Politics 0 comments
One of my mother's favorite things to say about me is that, since I was a little girl, I could "work a crowd like a politician." It was her way of saying that I was really good at commanding attention and entertaining people. This week during my Bible reading, I came across some verses that really made me look at this pun in a new way. Check out this story of David's rule:
A heavenly Adversary arose against Israel and incited David to count Israel. So David told Joab and the leaders of the people, “Go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and take a census of the people so I know how many people there are.”
But Joab replied, “May the Lord increase his people a hundred times! Sir, aren’t you the king, and aren’t they all your servants? Why do you want to do this? Why bring guilt on Israel?”
But the king overruled Joab, who left and traveled throughout all Israel...God was offended by this census and punished Israel. Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done! Now please take away the guilt of your servant because I have done something very foolish.”...When Gad came to David, he said to him, “This is what the Lord says: Take your choice: three years of famine, three months of fleeing from your enemies while your enemies’ sword overtakes you, or three days of the Lord’s sword, that is, plague in the land and the Lord’s messenger bringing disaster in every part of Israel. Decide now what answer I should take back to the one who sent me.”...So the Lord sent a plague throughout Israel, and seventy thousand Israelites fell dead. 1 Chronicles 21: 1-3, 7-8, 11-12, 14.
Over the centuries, the word "politician" has become synonymous with "cheater" and "liar". Citizens are predisposed to believe that one political party or other (or both) is full of scheming, self-serving manipulators. And while the saying "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely" has its basis in fact, it is certainly not true for all persons serving as leaders of our country. The real truth is that most politicians do not start out with the intent to do harm. Most are driven into a tough profession by a desire to make a difference; to truly be a "public servant".
David's mistake in the above passage was thinking the people of Israel were his. In Old Testament times, only the owner of such things as livestock or servants had the right to count them. Several times in the Bible we see God commanding His chosen 'public servant' to count His people. This census was of David's doing, for David's own selfish purposes. Only after the deed was done did he realize he had sinned against God. You see, David forgot that he was merely a steward of God's people-not their master. Because of that mistake, the people of Israel were punished.
A country's leader is responsible for its people, and his sins cost those people, not just himself. The people of Israel were punished, not because of their sins, but because of their king's. It was a heavy burden for David to bear, knowing he was responsible for the death of so many.
Time magazine did a slide-show of before and after photos of presidents. You can check it out here. Say what you will about each of these men, but there's certainly no doubt that their years served did not go easy on them. Instead of spending our time criticizing the decision of our president and congressmen, we should pray for them. Regardless of their decisions, mistakes or political party, we should lift up our leaders to the Lord as often as we can. It is the best service we can offer to our country, and maybe it will help us to begin to view politicians as people again.
A heavenly Adversary arose against Israel and incited David to count Israel. So David told Joab and the leaders of the people, “Go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and take a census of the people so I know how many people there are.”
But Joab replied, “May the Lord increase his people a hundred times! Sir, aren’t you the king, and aren’t they all your servants? Why do you want to do this? Why bring guilt on Israel?”
But the king overruled Joab, who left and traveled throughout all Israel...God was offended by this census and punished Israel. Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done! Now please take away the guilt of your servant because I have done something very foolish.”...When Gad came to David, he said to him, “This is what the Lord says: Take your choice: three years of famine, three months of fleeing from your enemies while your enemies’ sword overtakes you, or three days of the Lord’s sword, that is, plague in the land and the Lord’s messenger bringing disaster in every part of Israel. Decide now what answer I should take back to the one who sent me.”...So the Lord sent a plague throughout Israel, and seventy thousand Israelites fell dead. 1 Chronicles 21: 1-3, 7-8, 11-12, 14.
Over the centuries, the word "politician" has become synonymous with "cheater" and "liar". Citizens are predisposed to believe that one political party or other (or both) is full of scheming, self-serving manipulators. And while the saying "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely" has its basis in fact, it is certainly not true for all persons serving as leaders of our country. The real truth is that most politicians do not start out with the intent to do harm. Most are driven into a tough profession by a desire to make a difference; to truly be a "public servant".
David's mistake in the above passage was thinking the people of Israel were his. In Old Testament times, only the owner of such things as livestock or servants had the right to count them. Several times in the Bible we see God commanding His chosen 'public servant' to count His people. This census was of David's doing, for David's own selfish purposes. Only after the deed was done did he realize he had sinned against God. You see, David forgot that he was merely a steward of God's people-not their master. Because of that mistake, the people of Israel were punished.
A country's leader is responsible for its people, and his sins cost those people, not just himself. The people of Israel were punished, not because of their sins, but because of their king's. It was a heavy burden for David to bear, knowing he was responsible for the death of so many.
Time magazine did a slide-show of before and after photos of presidents. You can check it out here. Say what you will about each of these men, but there's certainly no doubt that their years served did not go easy on them. Instead of spending our time criticizing the decision of our president and congressmen, we should pray for them. Regardless of their decisions, mistakes or political party, we should lift up our leaders to the Lord as often as we can. It is the best service we can offer to our country, and maybe it will help us to begin to view politicians as people again.
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