Praying with power
Praying with power
Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son. May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness. May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.
Something to think about
When I was a child, some mission partners supported by my church came and gave an interview about their ministry overseas. As they described the a beauty of the country they now called home, the interviewer asked in jest how we all might get ourselves a calling to such places! The response came with a smile: ‘start praying for them’.
I think there was a nugget of truth in this light-hearted exchange. When we begin to pray for people, places or situations that are far removed from our experience, God often seems to move our hearts closer to them. More than once I have prayed that God would provide someone to meet a need, and soon found that the someone God was asking was me!
It might be that we feel far removed from the corridors of power where big decisions are made in our country, unable to have much influence. So let’s pray today for our political leaders: for them to act with justice, to make choices that bring freedom from oppression, for fair distribution of resources for everybody. As we do so, we may well find our hearts gradually moved towards a greater engagement in action.
Something to do
Send a note or an email to your MP or local councillor to let them know that you’re praying for them. Ask if there is anything in particular that they would value your prayers for. Maybe you could use this as a jumping off point to build a strong relationship and campaign with your MP – find out top tips for this here: Campaigning with your local politician - Christian Aid.
Something to pray
God of justice, when I feel powerless to make a difference, please remind me of the power of prayer. Be at work in the hearts of all who make big decisions, that they would work to make the world fairer for everyone. Help me to stay open to the ways you might be calling me to engage more closely with my leaders and politicians. Amen.