We Will Pray for Election Day

2004 has already been a politically charged year in light of the War in Iraq, the Patriot Act, Immigration, Tax cuts, redefining of Marriage and a host of other issues. The fact that it is an election year adds to the frenzy! It has been said that this election is the most important election of the past century – that may even be an understatement! All the talk of politics may have a very numbing effect on many in the Christian community, but should it? If we believe that God puts rulers in power and removes rulers from power, then it stands to reason that the Christians above all should be involved. Agreed? This new book will help us do just that! It will help you get a handle on the issues as well as offer simple, practical ways to be part of the political process. It’s divided into 4 areas for which Christians should be praying (already). They are Adoration & Thanksgiving, the election process, the issues and the hearts of the American People. Each chapter is a prayer, followed by an action step of ways that believers can get involved. Some action steps include offering to drive shut-ins to the polls on Nov. 2, answer telephone surveys, become a yard-sign coordinator and many, many more. It is also filled with helpful information about the issues, contact numbers for state election officials, senate races in all states, etc… As a bonus, it also includes fantastic quotes from great Americans and men of faith from the past! I'm not advocating political activism by recommending this book. It is my belief that activism by the Christian community convoludes our unique message of forgiveness in Christ. I am asking that Christians be involved in the political process that God has allowed us to live under. The primary way we get involved is through prayer, and secondarily by participating.
There are two warnings about the book that I feel I should draw your attention to. One, as mentioned, each chapter is a prayer. It is an easy temptation to adopt the prayers written by the authors as your own. Please do not! This is not a book of formulaic prayers. Rather, use them as a means of helping you wrap your mind around what to pray about. When Jesus’ disciples asked him about prayer, He didn’t give them a prayer to recite. He gave them a model – “When you pray, pray like this” (see Matthew 6 or Luke 11). The prayers in this book should be treated as models. Two, the author quotes Matthew 18:19-20 as if it was referring to prayer (p.x-xi). That text, in its proper context, refers to Church Discipline. If we apply it to prayer meetings, it flatly contradicts what Jesus and the Apostles said about prayer in other places. Nowhere in the Bible does it say, explicitly or implicitly, that two people must prayer together in order for Jesus to be present. On the surface, it may seem harmless, but be reminded that cults are formed when Scripture is twisted from its context and misrepresented.
Get the book, read it and pray for the upcoming election!

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