I don’t know what your reaction is when you watch the news on television, hear it on the radio or read it in the papers (or if you’re not a fan of the MSM / legacy media, engage with it online), but I find myself weeping. I don’t weep outwardly like the presenter of the Great Pottery Throwdown, but certainly my heart aches. And it aches a lot – there is so much bad news that sometimes it is hard to stay positive about the world.
I turn my heartache into prayer for the situations in question. When I hear a siren, I pause for a moment to ask God to come to the aid of the people who are in need of whichever emergency service is hurtling towards them, to support the professionals who will offer care, and to comfort any family and friends who will be affected by whatever incident has taken place. Similarly, when I see a tragedy unfolding on the TV, I ask God to have mercy on those who are caught up within it, and to empower anyone who is seeking to offer assistance to the afflicted. I also pray frequently for those who bear the responsibility of government – at all levels, from our volunteer Parish Councillors right up to the Prime Minister, his Cabinet, and members of the civil service in their supportive and facilitative roles.
The Bible encourages us to pray in this way. In his letter to his dear friend and student, Timothy, the Apostle Paul encouraged certain features of church life. He wrote, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people –for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God our saviour.”
As I look at the news and see our community and/or national leaders having to make challenging decisions about a huge range of complex topics, I often find myself unsure of what to pray. In those moments, I am thankful that those in power are better briefed than I, not only on the presenting issues, but also on the impact that their decisions are likely to have in other areas of our national life. Notwithstanding this, I recognise that their knowledge is still only partial, and that they need help to carry the responsibility they bear. The Bible’s encouragement that we should pray for kings and all in authority is a good one – Prime Ministers and Presidents need God’s support if they are going to make truly wise decisions. Accordingly, I pray for them, often not dictating a specific outcome, but rather that their decisions would be characterised and shaped by Christian values such as compassion for the weak or integrity and courage in the face of temptation and evil. In the words of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, I frequently pray that our government may “truly and indifferently (i.e. impartially) minister justice.”
I am confident that God (who knows perfectly both the ins and outs of every situation and its impact on everything else) is good, and that however faltering our prayers, he will always act in keeping with his perfect knowledge and love. Until Christ returns in glory, we will not see his kingdom fully “on earth as it is in heaven,” but we are called to pray for it while we wait and to live in keeping with it for the blessing of all. Please do join me in this work.
May the Lord answer your prayers and bless you richly.