It's Over--But Only the Beginning




The elections are finally over. What a relief to watch TV without the constant barrage of negative political advertisements. Whether we voted for or against him, we have a new president. The people have spoken but ultimately it is God who grants this important position. And while the election is over, his job and ours only begins.

Christian leaders urge us to support and cover Barack Obama with continual prayer through these next four years. They challenge us to pray more for Mr. Obama than we've prayed for anyone before--to prioritize prayer for him, his family, his counselors, his cabinet, and his decisions. Especially for wisdom. He's going to need it--our world faces challenges too big for anyone to solve without God's intervention.

Our job is to love and support our president whether or not we voted for him. Politics of late is negative and acrimonious. Let's determine to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. How? By staying positive instead of joining in the mud-slinging. By voicing our beliefs and convictions to our new president. And praying. God works within the heart of every person. Let's pray that God will speak to Barack Obama, that He will reveal Himself to our president-elect. Pray that God will speak to Mr. Obama through divine visitations and dreams. Pray that he will hear the voice of God louder than the voice of the enemy. And while we're praying, let's ask God to give us these gifts as well.

It's been suggested that we pray Ephesians 1:17-18 for our elected leaders. I'm taking the liberty of inserting Barack Obama's name into the verse below. It's a one-size-fits-all prayer that can be adapted for anyone. No matter how you choose to do it--light a candle, recite a written prayer or speak from your heart--please join me in praying for our president elect. Our future and the future of generations depend on critical decisions made in this moment of history.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give Barack Obama the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that Barack Obama might know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of Barack Obama's heart may be enlightened in order that Barack Obama may know the hope to which He has been called, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for Barack Obama to believe.