Listen

Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son. May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.

May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness. May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.

May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations. May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth.

In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more.

Psalm 72:1-7

Think

Politics can be a dirty business. We’ve all seen what happens when leaders give in to the temptations of power. Even when they try to do right, they often get so busy fighting each other that nothing gets done. It can make you want to give up on the whole show.

But God is present everywhere, even in politics. Wherever people make decisions that affect God’s people and God’s creation, God is there. God cares about the outcome of those decisions. Are they fair? Do they help? Who wins and – especially – who loses?

Politicians are human. Leaders need help making righteous decisions. Sometimes they need to be reminded to defend the cause of the poor and give deliverance to the needy. And always, just like the rest of us, they need to be held in prayer.

Sarah Councell Turner

Pray

Almighty God, bless all leaders in my nation and in all the world. Give each one of them a heart of righteousness. Give them courage to defend the poor and the needy. Make them a blessing to your people and your world. Amen.

Go

Now go with the assurance that
God is present in you at your strongest and weakest.
God is present in all creation, including you.
God is present in every moment and in a single word.
God is present, recognized or not.
And God is present in the flesh – like our flesh – to bring us home.