Him

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live. – 1 Timothy 2:1-3

Today I am challenged to remember Paul’s instructions given in 1 Timothy 2, encouraging us to pray for ALL those in authority, without any qualification, whether we voted for them or not.

Paul was a former persecutor of the church and murderer of the saints.  Yet, “elected by God” as an apostle to take the Gospel to the gentiles, Paul experienced a miraculous transformation through his encounter with Jesus.

God worked in the lives of “those in authority” long before Paul’s dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus.

In Genesis, God accomplished amazing things as He worked powerfully in Joseph’s life, saving not only an Egyptian captain, jail-keeper, a cupbearer, and the Pharaoh – folks in a wide range of authority over Joseph’s life – but Egypt itself, Joseph, and his family from starvation.

Centuries later, toward the end of Judah’s Babylonian exile, God used Persia’s conqueror king, Cyrus the Great, to rebuild the Temple and the Jew’s holy city, Jerusalem.

Then, four hundred years after that, God assigned a humble carpenter and his virgin fiancée, positions of authority as the parental nurturers of the King of kings.

We are told to pray for ALL in authority; they are charged with great influence and responsibility, but they are NEVER beyond God’s divine, providential control.

When we pray for those in authority, we acknowledge Father, Who is truly in charge and Who we are fully trusting with our lives.

“Everyone, submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes FROM GOD and those in positions of authority have been placed there BY GOD.” – Romans 13:1

When we submit to government authorities, we are submitting to God because HE put them in place.

Father is Lord over all. He reigns over all of His under-rulers, those in high places, those in less impressive levels…even dog catchers.

We get caught up in the affairs of the day leading us to be anxious.

STOP!

YES…VOTE…be involved in choosing who leads the government.

As you do, realize these truths…
FATHER IS LORD – THE ONLY RULER
HE puts authorities in place
HE is THE point – not them
HE is THE point – not us
He sees you
He sees your leaders
He sees your boss
He sees, cares, acts, listens, speaks

HE KNOWS

We spend most of our time thinking on mundane, non-eternal things…

Go to bed tonight and don’t worry about who is going to be running things tomorrow. Sleep with the full confidence that Father is on HIS throne and He has everything under His care.

Carpe Aeternitas

You have been prayed for today.