Today's Daily Lesson comes from 1 Timothy chapter 2 verses 1 through 6:
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
As we continue in this election year and the mud slinging and finger pointing will no doubt sadly worsen, it is very easy for us to get sucked into the vortex of negativity. We need to remember that there are very powerful influences on all sides of the political spectrum intent on our buying into the absolute vilification of certain political candidates. When one of those vilified candidates is elected president -- as one surely will be -- then the result is the other 4 out of 10 voters who did not vote for him or her then are left with 4 years of fear and foreboding at what is to come of our beloved country.
What are they to do? What are we all to do in this time of great political dis-ease?
I see signs in front yards as I drive through my neighborhood: "Prayer: America's Only Hope". I don't know who put the signs out, but it's true. In today's Lesson Paul writes to Timothy in a time of great social and political turmoil -- a time when the empire and its leaders seemed really to be beyond control. And Paul's counsel was to pray. Pray for the leaders, and for the nation, and for the world.
Paul reminds us that we do not have to like a leader to pray for them. We may indeed buy into their vilification. They may in fact be villains. But Paul tells us to pray for them anyways, and he reminds us that Christ died for all people -- even political and military villains. And it is God's desire that they and all the world be saved.
We are to pray for all kings and leaders Paul says so that "we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way." In other words, we are to pray so that we can become more like God who sent his son to die -- not only for 6/10 of the people or 4/10 of them, but for all.
And that puts things into perspective when it comes to our own candidate also. Only one person died for all the world, only one then is worthy to be called Savior -- and he had neither a D nor an R behind his name.
It's party primary election runoff today and many will be headed to the polls. I hope we'll also be headed to our knees -- to pray for all the leaders who will be elected so that no matter how uncertain and foreboding things may look outside we may inside ourselves still be at peace and be witness to our peace.
This really is our only hope.
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