Inspired by Philippians 2.1-11

by Brian Walsh

Let us pray:

As our nation enters into a national election,
…we come before you, Jesus, as our Lord.
As the politicians vie for name recognition,
…we confess that your name is above every name.
As the country debates about who should lead us,
…we proclaim that you have been exalted to the highest place.
As we witness this struggle for power
…we profess that before you every knee shall bow
…and every tongue confess
…that you are Lord.
And as we watch glory-seeking amongst the political parties,
…even a glory-seeking for our own country,
…we come enter this election in prayer,
…seeking only the glory of God the Father.

We pray for leaders who would be servants,
…we pray for leaders who would demonstrate profound humility;
…we pray for leaders who would have the mind of Christ;
…we pray for a politics of compassion and justice;
…we pray for a politics that goes beyond self-interest
……and seeks the interest of the most vulnerable.

Before you, Lord, every tongue will confess,
…but you were never democratically elected.
Before you, Lord, every knee will bow,
…though you lost the only vote you ever faced against Barabbas.

You are the exalted one because you were first raised high on a cross.
…Yours was not the campaign trail of media moments,
……but a path to the cross.
…Yours was not a narrow obedience to the party line,
……but an obedience to death,
……even death on a cross.

No one would ever elect you, Lord,
…but we dare to call ourselves citizens of your Kingdom.

Send your Spirit upon us so that we might be discerning citizens.
Fill us with your love and your compassion,
…that we might love our neighbours in how we vote,
…that your church might be leaven in the political life of our country,
…that the light of justice might shine in the darkness of our political life,
…that the mind of Christ might replace vain conceit and contempt.

Come soon, Lord Jesus.

Brian Walsh

Brian is an activist theologian, a retired CRC campus minister, the founder of the Wine Before Breakfast community, and farms with Sylvia Keesmaat at Russet House Farm.He engages issues of theology and culture, and has written a couple of books you might want to check out. His most recent offering is cowritten with Sylvia Keesmaat and entitled Romans Disarmed: Resisting Empire, Demanding Justice.