If ever there was a time when there has been a need to pray for the USA, for Christians to "stand in the gap" & pray for the peace and healing of the divisions in the USA, it is now.
Notice I didn't say pray for the election of Trump or Biden; for the Republicans or the Democrats. But pray for the USA.
From my perspective as a Canadian looking in, I see and hear a lot of lies, falsehoods, "us vs them" thinking, divisions. When I hear people say that "T/B is God's choice" my heart aches. Neither one, neither party has demonstrated attitudes and policies that reflect the kingdom of God - not that I expect them to.
I wonder, if part of the reason the USA is in the state it is in, is because too many people who call themselves Christians are not praying and living as we are called to live and pray. But instead have made the politics of the Republicans or Democrats, left or right, liberal or conservative, or whatever you want to call it a higher priority than God's kingdom.
I was in California in mid-November 2000, when the news on every TV station was about hanging chads. it went on for weeks. Trump has already announced he has an army (that's a telling term right there) of lawyers ready to dispute any results he doesn't like. He has repeatedly tweeted out statements that are directives to violence. And we know that violence leads to violence.
While the US election is tomorrow, the wreckage and fallout from the election will spill over for weeks, if not months to come, no matter who wins.
And because this is the USA, this will have an impact on many other countries, including Canada, as well as on world politics. Political and religious leaders across the States have taken up sides, and have painted the other as evil. They have reduced people to labels. It seems like there is no such thing as careful thinking about complex issues - if it can't be communicated in a 10second sound bite, it's simply not talked about. Real discourse and dialogue has gone out the window in 2020.
There seems to be no such thing as graciousness, with a view to the common good. Our world has become addicted to outrage. We are experts in identifying enemies. "Leaders" sound like schoolyard bullies with taunts and making fun of names, appearances, illnesses and even disabilities.
All of these are signs that our focus is wrong.
The apostle Paul writes
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up Ephesians 4:29
And then
finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8
As Jesus taught us to pray
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9-10
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