We the People: Praying as One

As believers in Jesus, it’s our job to pray for our nation.

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” — 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Paul tells us to pray for everyone, not just those we know. Christians should pray for those who lead us. In the U.S., this can be tricky since our leaders are elected. It might seem like they only have power because we voted for them.

The Challenge of Praying for Leaders

It’s more complex than that, and sometimes Christians might hold back prayers for leaders if they feel the country is drifting away from God.

“When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when a wicked man rules, people groan.” — Proverbs 29:2 (NASB1995)

This proverb is pretty accurate: it’s easier to pray for leaders who do the right thing. When they’re wicked, our prayers often ask for their removal instead of their guidance.

Learning from Daniel’s Example

The Book of Daniel gives us a perspective we should consider. Daniel lived as a captive, taken from his home to serve a foreign, ungodly king. Despite experiencing miracles and tragedies, Daniel’s heart was with his homeland. He focused on the House of God in Jerusalem. Daniel knew God was real and communicated with him, showing him heavenly and future visions. Yet, Daniel wanted God’s house restored, believing that if God focused on Jerusalem, the people would return.

Daniel pleaded with God:

“I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, ‘Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land.’” — Daniel 9:4-6

Collective Responsibility

Daniel knew God loved those who followed His commandments, but the people hadn’t. What’s interesting is that Daniel said ‘we’: “We have sinned,” even though he hadn’t personally sinned. Daniel was taken to Babylon as a young teen and remained faithful to God. Yet, he identified with the collective guilt of his nation.

Us vs. Them Mentality

In nations claiming to be Christian, it’s easy to separate “us” (the followers) from “them” (those who say they follow but don’t). Our leaders might go to church, but their actions might not always line up with God’s Word. We can end up praying for “those” leaders rather than including ourselves in our nation’s behavior.

Following Jesus’ Example

Daniel didn’t pray that way. He included himself as part of the guilty nation. He knew God and His word and prayed as part of the nation, not as an individual. While he was personally righteous, he saw himself as part of the people.

Jesus showed us this. Though He was sinless, He took our guilt upon Himself. He stood between us and God’s judgment and calls us to follow Him in praying for our leaders. Whether our leaders are righteous or not, God wants us to lift them in prayer.

God’s Control and Our Perspective

Why? Because God is in control. If He wants to change our nation’s direction, He will. Daniel knew this, and his prayer reflects God’s heart.

How Should We Live?

As Christians, we should live lives pleasing to God individually. But as a nation, we must include ourselves in our nation’s behavior. When our leaders stray from God, we need to cry out, “Father, we have sinned!”

By adopting this attitude, we change our perspective. We are one body, and when it’s hurt or acting out, we must turn to God. He can change the body when we can’t or won’t as a people.

Here are five things you can do to pray for our nation:

1. Pray for All Leaders

   As believers, we are called to pray for everyone, especially those in authority. This helps create a peaceful and godly society. 1 Timothy 2:1-2

2. Pray with a Heart of Repentance

   When praying for our nation, we should adopt a humble and repentant attitude, recognizing our collective shortcomings. Daniel 9:4-6

3. Intercede for Righteous Leadership

   It is important to pray for righteous leaders because their leadership brings joy and peace to the people. Conversely, wicked leadership causes suffering. Proverbs 29:2

4. Identify with the Nation’s Sins

   Like Daniel, we should not distance ourselves from the sins of our nation but identify with them and seek God’s forgiveness on behalf of the nation. Daniel 9:5

5. Trust in God’s Sovereignty

   Trust that God is in control of the nation’s direction. Our prayers are powerful and can lead to divine intervention and transformation. Romans 13:1

   “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

The Power of Unified Prayer

God heard and answered Daniel’s prayer. While it’s unclear if Daniel saw the events, years later, Ezra and Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and restored the House of God. We are blessed to know that when we come to God as one nation, He hears us and will respond, transforming us individually and as a nation.