Time to pray for the USA

Everyone seems to have a view on the upcoming US elections; those views are expressed with anything from good humour to uninformed bile. This post isn’t a political one, however, and I will try very hard to allow my political leanings to peek through. I hope that whoever you are, reading this, you’ll agree with one transcendent point – that America (and the world) needs the right man in the White House, and a nation united behind him.

I believe that with just over a week to go before America goes to the polls (and with early voting already underway), the time has come to stop throwing stones and barbs at one candidate or the other. Many of us here in the UK (where I assume most of my readers are) feel powerless in this decision, the outcome of which could have a huge effect on our economy, culture and more.

But we’re not powerless at all. Because the truth is that there’s great power in prayer – an activity which we are free to practice even from thousands of miles away.

So – since this decision is so earth-shapingly significant, I want to suggest that for the days running up to the election, Christians in the UK and the US commit to praying seriously about the outcome of this election. You may be the sort of person who practices fasting when they pray; someone who writes all their prayers down; draws them; or whispers them in a darkened room. It doesn’t matter how you want to do it – what matters is that when important things are going on in the world, we pray about them.

From now until November 6th, I’m going to pray through the following five points. I invite you to join me – and if you’re going to, why not reply with a one-word or sentence comment at the foot of this post.

Prayer changes situations. I have seen evidence of that first hand in my own life, in the small things and the big. So pray – and if you’re not in the USA, see those prayers as your way of voting.

Here are the five points:

1. That ultimately, God’s candidate will end up in the White House. I do not presume to know who that is. Let us pray that in this key decision, God’s will be done.

2. That this election will be conducted fairly, with no rumours (or realities) of rigging, blocking or mis-counting.

3. That America will go to the polls, and in high numbers. Let’s pray that a record number of people take democracy seriously enough to take part in it.

4. That the next few years of America’s history will be marked by unity rather than infighting; by politicians working together to make the country – and the world – better, rather than squabbling over every decision in an effort to score points and ‘win’.

5. That America under the President it now elects or re-elects, will be known for its commitment to peace, justice and fairness – not just internally, but internationally.

I hope you can agree that these five points are all bigger than party or presidential politics – and if you don’t, just leave those points out when you pray. But whatever you do, please pray for America – this decision is far too important for the rest of us to simply stand by and commentate.

For a really well-informed article on how American Christians are likely to vote – and how much power they hold – visit Christianity Magazine here.