A Prayer for the USA and Its Upcoming Election

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Almighty and Most-merciful God,

 You have given us the United States of America as our heritage.  Make us always remember your generosity toward us.  Bless us with honest industry, sound learning, and an honorable way of life.

We come from many nations with many different languages.  Make us a people united under a culture that honors you above all else.  When times are prosperous, let our hearts be thankful; and, in troubled times, do not let our trust in you fail.
Bless the courts and the magistrates in our land.  Give them wisdom and understanding, that they may perceive the truth and administer the law impartially as instruments of your divine will. 


Grant that we as a nation would turn to you from our many sins, especially the scourge of abortion, that your glory might be displayed for those in other nations to see.  Let our sexuality no longer be a source of sin.  Let the rest of the world glorify your name because of what they see in our marriages and in our chaste, single brothers and sisters.

Under your law we live, great God, and by your will we govern ourselves.  Help us as good citizens to respect neighbors whose views differ from ours, so that without partisan anger, we may work out issues that divide us, and elect candidates to serve the common welfare.  Save us from violence in our behavior and arrogance in our views. 

Grant us divine wisdom and care as we choose the candidates that we believe to be the best.    Let our elections be free of voter fraud from any and all who would perpetuate that injustice.  Guide voters with your invisible hand of providence to choose great leaders for our nation in this time of horrible war and true national crisis. 

In your sight nations rise and fall, and pass through times of peril.  Now when our land is troubled, be near to judge and save.  May leaders hold to your wisdom as expressed in The Bible; may they search your will and see it clearly.  Help them remember that they are called to serve the people as lovers of truth and justice.    

Give us a strong regard for our history, and help us to not lose sight of the many things that our nation has done right in the past.  Grant that we would hold up the form of government that has served us so well for so long.  Do not let this great experiment in representative democracy change into something that would not honor you.  Protect us from misuse of political power by any side.

O God, grant that The Holy Spirit may so move in every human heart, that the barriers which divide us may crumble, the suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease.  Grant that, with our divisions healed, we might live in justice and peace.  Protect us from the fears and anxieties we are so prone to in this election season.   

Be with your servants who make art and music that we may express the joys we have in Christ and the laments we cry from living in this sinful world.  Grant us a strong Christian culture.  Let the heart of this nation sing praise to your name once again.
Defend our freedoms, especially our freedom of religion.  Let all citizens live out their faith or lack thereof in public life without fear of persecution for the beliefs they hold. 

Let Christian believers go forward without fear of poverty, derision, or even death in order to glorify your great name in our culture and under those laws which are just in your sight.  Strengthen those who may stand firm in the faith in the face of unjust laws.  Encourage the fainthearted, and help those who fail to try again in your mighty spiritual power.  Restrain the attacks of Satan and his demons against our country that our light may shine as a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. 


Answer our prayers according to what is best for us, in the name of Jesus Christ who is both Lord of this world and our Savior, Amen. 

(Adapted from prayers in The Book of Common Worship of the PCUSA.)

Comments

Anonymous said…
Yeeesh! You said a prayer hoping to turn the USA into hell.
No wonder so many evangelicals are voting for the living antithesis of Jesus.
October 12, 2016
J. K. Jones said…
Is that you, Sunny D.? Been a long time.
October 12, 2016
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