The Bible gives us some pretty clear instructions on how to relate to the government:

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 Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

Now it’s important for us to remember a few things when thinking through this command. We should, for example, remember that Paul (who wrote these words) was not operating in a governmental system in which officials were elected by the people. We should remember that the people who read these words were, at least in part, slaves in the empire of the day. But we should also remember that the people who read these words (and the similar words he wrote in Romans 13) were undergoing a level of persecution, whether localized in their villages or sanctioned by the government. Nevertheless, he urged that Christians be people of prayer, and specifically that they pray for those in governmental authority.

The command is not to like the people in governmental authority; neither are they to never speak against the policies of people in government authority; but rather to pray for them. And, helpfully, he goes a step further than issuing the command – he actually tells us what the topic of these prayers should be. In this month of November, our traditional “election month” in the United States, it’s a good time to pray for those in government, and to pray in the manner the Bible prescribes:

1. Thank God for your leaders.

In verse 1, Paul advcoates for all kinds of prayers – petitions, intercession, and thanksgiving. It is a good thing, then, for us to thank God for the leaders He has seen fit to put in place.

Now this might be easy for you, or it might be difficult for you. But then again, thanksgiving is like that, isn’t it? Some seasons you look at your circumstances and the prayers of thanks flow freely. But at other times, your circumstances seem to demand anything but the giving of thanks. Regardless, the time is always right to give thanks to God because our giving of thanks is not rooted only in circumstance; it’s rooted in God’s character.

Regardless of your voting record, these are the leaders God has seen fit in His wisdom and providence to establish at this particular time in history. So when we give thanks, we are ultimately giving thanks as an expression of faith in His wisdom and authority to do what is good and right.

2. Pray for peace and harmony through your leaders.

Paul continues to say that as we pray for our leaders, we want one of the end results to be the living of “peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” So when we pray for our leaders, we ought to pray that the decisions they make would be good for those that are under their authority.

• We should pray for their wisdom as they look at complex issues and seek to apply that wisdom for the good and peace of the people.
• We should pray for their humility so they are able to make decisions on behalf of others apart from their own advancement.
• We should pray that the decisions made do indeed result in a quiet kind of life in which people can seek to honor the Lord in their daily lives.

3. Pray for the souls of your leaders.

Finally, Paul reminds us that God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” The “all people” surely includes those in authority. As we pray, then, we also ought to pray for the souls of these public figures. We should pray that they become aware of their own sin and need for a Savior. We should pray against the trappings of office and power that can undercut the message of the gospel. And we should pray that they would turn to Christ with their whole hearts and be changed by God’s grace.

Of course, there are other ways to pray for our leaders. And certainly the general prayers above should be augmented situationally as we pray for specific situations they are facing in the world. At a minimum, though, one of the ways we ought to always be responding to the government of the day, whether we agree with it or not, is through prayer.