Party Conference Season: How to Pray!
"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way." 1 Timothy 2:1-2
It's party conference season again, and while we might be familiar with the words of Paul about praying for those in authority, it can sometimes feel confusing how to go about this - especially if we vehemently disagree with some of the sentiments expressed by politicians.
Where to start? An Old Testament prophet (who also bore witness to the impact of the decisions of the powerful on the weak) gives us a helpful framework with which to approach prayer:
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
(Micah 6: 8)
Act Justly
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” Zechariah 7:9
- Pray that truth would prevail, that true judgments would be rendered even in the midst of heated rhetoric
- Pray that language used from the platform would rehumanise the weak and vulnerable, and never act to dehumanise, or rob people of their dignity.
- Pray for our friends at CAPUK, Trussell Trust and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation as they advocate for vulnerable people in the UK facing debt and poverty.
Love Mercy
Praying for those in authority is one of the best ways to keep ourselves tenderhearted toward people we disagree with!
In 1 Timothy 2:2 we're reminded that one of the reasons to pray for those in authority, is to allow the people of God to live quiet and dignified lives. The verse suggests that is possible to intercede for justice, and retain our dignity in how we do it!
Suggestion: Pray now that for the politician you most disagree with, that they would experience the radical mercy and blessing of God (this is hard!).
- Pray that God would move the hearts of politicians, advisors and journalists to remember the weak in the substance of policy, as well as how it is presented.
- Pray for divine encounters throughout these weeks, where those attending party conferences would encounter and engage with the everyday experiences of those struggling to get by.
Walk Humbly
- Ask God to remind you of your role to play, of how you are wielding the power or resources that belong to you.
- Pray bold prayers that acknowledge the fleeting power of man, but recognise the power of God to exalt the humble and bring down the haughty. Ask God for him to raise up leaders marked by their humility.
It's easy to forget how counter-cultural prayer is, how it forms and moulds us even as it is effective and powerful (James 5:16).
As Christians we're called to model justice, mercy and humility to a broken world, and the way we pray (both publicly and privately) gives us an opportunity to bear witness to someone and something greater than our politics.
Written by Rachel Wilson
