Seven Degrees of Me: My Pastor's Prayer

With the elections finally here, I know a lot of us are very tense. We're worried about the aftermath, even dreading it. My Pastor gave a little talk about it and then a wonderful prayer. I felt hopeful, even reassured, so I wanted to share it. I've transcribed it below:

So, this week, Tuesday, a big day for our country. It's a Presidential election, Senators, other local, state people being elected. If you’ve been watching, if you’re a news media person, if you’re highly involved in watching what’s going on in the country, if you’re passionate about what’s happening in politics my guess is, regardless of where you come down, you’re probably a little anxious this week and I understand that. I'm a little anxious as well and my anxiety really comes from just, I want our country to be well. I want it to be at peace.
Regardless of who wins, who loses. It doesn’t matter. I want our country to be at peace. Obviously some of our anxiety is that we're worried about whoever wins, will there will be peace after that? Will there be unrest? I think it's so important that first and foremost as we struggle with this anxiety wherever, what level you feel it on, is that you continue to remember that God is sovereign over all things. No matter who wins God is aware. Right? Nothing catches Him off-guard.
Things are going to unfold just as He knows they're going to, just as He’s allowing it to unfold. His purposes are going to continue to be put forth and be accomplished and so we can rest in that and I know that sometimes we say that in like, “Oh that sounds so easy Pastor Rollie, but you don't know how it's going to affect our world.” You’re right. I don’t. But there’s been trouble in the world since the day they ate the fruit. Right? There’s been war. There’s been famine. There’s been pestilence. There's been sin prevalent in all things and all of us. The world is groaning; the curse, and so, yes, we are in a unique time in our country right now.
For most of us, this is a unique time, but we’ve been through WWI, WWII, the Vietnam War. There’s been others. There’s been civil rights issues, in our country. There have been big issues; all of that sort of thing. We're still here. We're still working.
So, as the church, how can we be salt and light in this moment? No matter who wins, we’re peacemakers. That doesn’t mean that we say, “Oh it doesn't matter;” that we’re not passionate about what we want, what we believe. We should still fight for what we think is right and good and just. Maybe that's getting involved in some way and doing whatever it means to do that. but I want to encourage you that we should be peacemakers above all.
The government has been given to us to bring peace and we play a role when we vote. It's nowhere in Scripture that you have to vote. Right? I think it's a privilege to do so in our country. I would encourage you to do that. I'm not here to say you absolutely must, but the government has been instituted by God for our good and we play a role in our government by voting and putting people in office, and so I want to encourage you to do that. But above all things, be unifiers. We should have a good witness. In Peter, it says be prepared to share the hope that is within you. So no matter what happens, the hope is in Christ, not in who wins. Right? Not in who wins. I just want to spend a few minutes to pray for our country this week.
Father, we up come to You needy this morning. We’re reminded of our need because of the anxiety that we feel, the tension we recognize in our country that is always there, but there are times where it seems to be highlighted, rise up more than others, and so, Father, I believe, at least in my adult lifetime, this is one of those times.
We know that it's that way because of sin and because of the sin in our own hearts and, Father, so as we approach this week, as we approach what is going to come after, help us first to remember and give us humility that we are fallen, broken creatures. We have rebelled. Sin has entered the world and it affects all of us, and so, Lord, I pray that as this election goes forth this week, and regardless, we pray for Your will to be done. So, whatever that is, Father, whatever happens this week, we want to be faithful to the Gospel. We want to be faithful to love our neighbor regardless of what party they’re from, what thing that they support politically, or what ethnic background they have, or rather they're immigrants legal or not, Father, we want to love people. Yes, we do want to support what is right and we want justice in our country. So, Father, we pray that Your justice will come and it will be ministered to a government that is honoring to You even though they are fallen, sinful people, Father, that they will heed Your will and they will accomplish the tasks that You have laid forth. So, Father, the church as a body of Christ, as individuals, may we find our hope, our assurance, our peace in You, in Christ this morning. So, Father, I pray that when we gather next week we will all be able to celebrate, no matter what happens this week because every day, we come before the throne and we’re reminded of what a great salvation we have in You and that nothing, nothing can ever take that away. Father, we praise You. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Pastor Rollie Rench

If you forward the video to 24:08 you can hear him share the above.