Prayer Thoughts for Election Day

Daniel was one of the young men from Judah taken captive to Babylon as his home nation collapsed and exiled. Trained to serve in the Babylonian court, Daniel served faithfully and well. He retained the faith in the Lord God of heaven and earth. He remained faithful despite efforts to discredit him and the Lord. About fifty years into his exile the Babylonian Empire was no more. The Medes and Persian Empire now reigned. Daniel remained in service to the new rulers, notably Darius the Mede.

With the change in empires, Daniel thought about Judah and Jerusalem. How long would his exile last? He searched the Scriptures, particularly the writings of Jeremiah. He perceived from them that the exile would last seventy years. He may never return home, as he was already advanced in years. Rather than lose heart, Daniel prayed. It was not simply a passing thought or two for his people. It was a time of intense intercessory prayer. He turned to the Lord God, “seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.” (Daniel 9:3).

The prophet Daniel extolled the Lord’s goodness and steadfast love. In praying, He assumed the sins of Judah, its rulers and people into himself. “We have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from Your commandments and rules. We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land” (Daniel 9:5-6). This is a prayer of repentance.

Many things are wrong within our nation, the United States of America. Polls show that a majority of people feel we are headed in the wrong direction. Many lament the abandonment of Biblical morality and a public denial of the Lord God of heaven and earth. Like ancient Judah, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from the Lord’s commandments. We, too, have not listened to the servants the Lord has sent to us, calling for repentance. Many are disturbed by all that is taking place but helpless to identify the source. Our corporate and personal sins as a people have brought this upon ourselves. This is the time to turn to the Lord God, seeking him with a humble and contrite heart. This is the time to pray for us, our churches, our communities, our nation, our world.

Daniel refused to claim anything good for himself as a reason for God to act. He appealed to the Lord’s righteousness and mercy. “To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice” (Daniel 9:9-11a).

We have much to confess in our generation. Pray about it now. Be honest with God. If we say we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). Pray with Daniel. “O Lord, according to Your righteous acts, let Your anger and Your wrath turn away from your [people] because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers. Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his pleas for mercy., and for Your own sake, O Lord, make Your face to shine upon [us]. For we do not present our pleas before You because of our righteousness, but because of Your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name” (Daniel 9:16-19).

As far as we know, Daniel never returned to Judah or Jerusalem. It did not stop him for praying earnestly for his people. It would be foolish to expect a national election to change our nation overnight. God can change things with a breath. History teaches that He often works slowly through generations to affect the changes He desires. He wants all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). He gave us Jesus, who forgives our sins and continues to reign over all things for the sake of His church (Ephesians 1:17-23). May He renew and restore such faith among us!

President Timothy Scharr