Why Christians are Called to Pray for America's Leaders

People worldwide watch the United States of America when the election takes place. Many cannot imagine what it's like to live in a nation where a transition of power isn't preceded by a civil war. They have no idea what it's like to live in a land that allows the freedom of speech, freedom to choose your career path, and freedom to own a car and a home.

In some cases, they can't even imagine what it must be like to choose the size of your family. In other cases, they wonder what it's like living in a country where people can assemble to worship God freely and pray openly. These are only a few reasons why more people are trying to get into America than people are trying to leave and live elsewhere.

Ronald Reagan Called America's Peaceful Transfer of Power 'a Miracle'

America has been a very blessed nation. On January 20th, 1981, Ronald Reagan spoke of America's peaceful transfer of power as "a miracle" during his inaugural address. He also pointed out that a peaceful transfer of power had been such a commonplace event over the past two centuries that Americans rarely thought about it. It would be truly tragic if this peaceful transfer ever collapsed into anything less.

Many would argue that America was founded as a Christian nation. There's even some evidence that in 1892, the Supreme Court declared that America's history demonstrated it to be a Christian nation. That said, America's history could be why God has preserved it as a nation.

The Bible Tells Christians to Pray for Everyone, Even Leaders 

While Christians may not always see eye to eye on political issues and candidates, our Bible tells us to pray for our leaders. More specifically, in 1 Timothy 2, verses 1-6, we're instructed to pray for all people, even those in leadership who have authority over us. If we don't like those currently in leadership over us, that’s even more reason to pray for them. This will help us to avoid the personal turmoil of bitterness and hardheartedness, allowing us to be more intentional about walking in the fruit of the Spirit rather than the works of the flesh (Galatians 5).

Another reason to pray for our leaders is so "...we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truthfulness" (1 Tim. 2:3-4, ESV).

That peaceful transition of power, perhaps taken for granted, has allowed America to be a country in which its citizens can enjoy a "peaceful and quiet life" overall. Certainly, this country has never been perfect. The top concerns of most people right now are the economy and inflation. More specifically, Rasmussen Reports indicates that 91 percent of likely voters see this as an important issue. A chaotic transfer of power will make that or any other present challenges far worse. 

A Miracle Trump is Still Alive

Former President Trump referred to the experience of nearly being assassinated as "a very surreal experience" during a Sunday interview with the New York Post.

"The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this. He called it a miracle," Trump said.

"I'm not supposed to be here. I'm supposed to be dead," he said.

The doctor who treated him at the area's local hospital told Trump he's never seen anyone survive a gunshot from an AR-15.

As Trump prepares to accept the Republican Party's nomination on Thursday at the Republican National Convention, he told the New York Post that he has changed the material of the speech he intends to give.

"I want to try to unite our country. But I don't know if that's possible. People are very divided," he said.

He added that he hopes success will bring unity to the country.

Details on how to watch the RNC are available here.

Related Articles: 

• Trump Praises God, Saying ‘It Was God Alone Who Prevented the Unthinkable’
• Trump Survives Assassination Attempt at Pennsylvania Rally
• ‘God Spared Donald Trump:’ Last-Second Head Tilt Saved His Life

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/4maksym

Elizabeth Delaney has been a freelance content writer for over 20 years and has enjoyed having her prose published in both the non-fiction and fiction markets. She has written various types of content, including Christian articles, healthy lifestyle, blog posts, business topics, news articles, product descriptions, and some fiction. She is also a singer-songwriter-musician. When she is not busy with writing or music, she enjoys spending time with friends or family and doing fun social activities such as hiking, swing dancing, concerts, and other activities.