Pandemic Praying for Those in High Positions
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. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (ESV) 1 Timothy 2:1–7
As a solo pastor earlier in my life I always dreaded the decision to cancel or not to cancel church services when faced with bad weather (usually snow). Everyone had an opinion! No matter what you decided somebody was probably going to let you know they disagreed. Leaders have a tough job making such decisions!
As I’ve listened to our governor, governors around the country, and our president over the course of this pandemic I’ve often thought to myself… “I am so glad I am not in their shoes right now.” Perhaps you’ve had this thought as well? Or, perhaps you’ve thought, “handling things this way is a big mistake”? I admit I have had both of these thoughts! Yet, whatever you think, whatever your opinion may be, one thing is clear in Scripture – we are commanded to pray for those in high positions.
As we pray we must consider who we are as we pray. We are the redeemed, a people purchased for God by Christ, saints everyone (see Revelation 5), and citizens of a heavenly kingdom (Phil. 3:20). And as such a people we are praying from the vantage point of being exiles, aliens, strangers, and ambassadors for Christ. The Lord through his prophet Jeremiah commanded the exiles in Babylon to, “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on it’s behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jer. 29:7) That sounds very familiar to Paul’s words to young Timothy in Ephesus (I Tim. 2:1-2). Peter also instructs us in this regard writing to the exiles of the dispersion,
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. (ESV) 1 Peter 2:9–12
Isn’t it true that a part of the struggle we may have in praying or praying rightly for those in high positions is we don’t think of ourselves as exiles who are on ambassadorial assignment? We love our earthly country and don’t want to see unwise decisions with long term consequences being made (should we really spend 2 trillion dollars?!). This kind of concern is understandable from any perspective (and there are a few!). But this is an earthly kingdom – we’ve been called to a heavenly citizenship that transcends and is as real as any earthly citizenship. Paul, from an earthly kingdoms prison declares, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Phil 3:20.
We must pray from an exile, stranger, alien perspective or the content of our prayer will be less about His Kingdom and more about our kingdom. Let’s illustrate this by first considering how we might pray if we don’t pray as exiles. If we pray merely from an earthly kingdom perspective our interests will potentially be in the longevity of a booming economy and rising stock market. If we merely pray from an earthly standpoint we might give thanks only when taxes are lowered (or eliminated?) or our 1st and 2nd Amendment rights are well defended. Maybe we don’t pray that way – but are these things the balance of our conversation? Our thoughts? Our posts on social media? Is such praying and communicating any different then Israel pining for the leaks and onions of the Nile, or later Israel in Isaiah’s day – a luxuriant vine (prosperous) building more altars to false gods (Hos. 10:1-2)?
Ok, now that I’ve seriously stepped on some toes (mine too!) let’s consider praying from God’s Kingdom perspective…
Jesus’s instructions to the disciples remind us that our interest must be his – “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:10). Ultimately his will is always that he be glorified (“hallowed be your name”). We should pray for those in high places that God would be glorified. That just might come through humbling such as in Hosea’s day where our Lord is the one “breaking down their altars and destroying their pillars.” And if that’s the case then this is the means whereby the interests of the Kingdom of our true and ultimate citizenship are advanced – and we will rejoice as Christ is displayed as more beautiful then a secure economic future. Let’s not forget it could come through bounty and blessing as well. Paul reminds us “that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4c) But let’s make sure we worship the giver of every good and perfect gift, not the gift. Whatever the result of the decisions of those in high places – our goal is to point to the glory of our King.
Praying as exiles will help us to pray for those in high places for another purpose – the advancement of the Gospel. When we pray as exiles, ambassadors, aliens, and strangers, our desire is that the good news we bring from our Kingdom would be declared to all people. He commands us to pray for those in high places because he desires “all people to be saved.” In other words, God is not a respecter of persons. He saves kings and paupers, Africans and Americans, people from Madrid, Moscow, and Manhattan, Jews and Gentiles, healthy and strong or weak and infirmed, University of Michigan fans and Ohio State fans.
Beloved, put aside any unwarranted hopes or cynical disappointments you may find in those the Lord has placed in high places today. Pray for them as Paul has commanded us – pray that God would grant them wisdom in this crisis, that they would have strength and stay well so as to carry out their duties on what are no doubt long days, and that the Gospel will go out – to all people. Finally, be thankful for what those in high places have done that is pleasing to God, for God’s placement of the leaders he has given us for this time, and for the opportunities that their decisions will provide as we point people to a far greater King who never errs in his judgments and decisions.