Prayer for Election Day
Friends, this is a day that some of us have been counting down to for years and a day that some of us are fearful, and a day that none of us can ignore.
No matter who you vote for today, pray for our country. No matter who you vote for today, pray for its leaders. No matter who you vote for today, pray for its people. No matter who you vote for today, remember that as Christians we are called to put our God and our faith above all else, and let our identity as followers of Christ be the identity we cling to and we proclaim loudest of all. May it be so.
Today, the words of our prayer come from Lisa Sharon Harper. She wrote this prayer for Election Day 2012, but even eight years later, the words still ring true.
It’s here, God - Election Day in America. Today is the day when Americans everywhere are given privilege and responsibility to exercise dominion and agency at the polls.
Scripture tells us that every human being is made in the image of God. We are, therefore, equally worthy of protection of the law. The United States Constitution and its Amendments tell us we are equally worthy of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet, at this very moment, laws stand poised to snatch dominion from the hands of the poor, the week, the vulnerable, ethnic minorities, students, our LGBTQ+ community, and the elderly.
Dear Jesus, we pray for the soul of our nation. We are a divided nation, God. The choice before us could not be starker and yet polls tell us that our nation is split down the middle between our two presidential candidates and our two parties. We are divided, God. We need you to intervene for the sake of our future- for the sake of our children and our children’s children. Give us the courage to move outside of ideological boxes and beyond poles.
Dear Jesus, we need you to breakthrough. In truth, we need you to break us. Break us, God. Break us. Break our strong-will death grip on the ideologies of our families, our communities, and our tribes. Oh, God, when did politics become an accepted part of our identities? Break us, God, and help us to see again. Help us to see each other- I mean really see each other- again. And help us to see you at work in our world. Give us eyes to see you as you really are, God. Blow our minds and blow our ideological categories out of the deep waters of injustice.
We pray this in your name.
Amen.
Reverend Kristen Koger has served as the Pastor for Children and Families at FBC Decatur since June 2017. Kristen loves working with the youngest of God’s family as she helps them realize that they have some of the most important gifts to offer the family of God. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her dog Dietrich “Bonehoeffer,” cooking, knitting, and playing board games.