No matter who is in authority, we are told by Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1-5 to pray for our leaders.
1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
I confess that I have not done my part to pray for our leaders, be it President Bush or the president-elect. I have opined my disgust at their actions or beliefs. I do not think highly of Obama and am greatly disappointed that the majority of Americans think this man can fix the woes of our country.
Nevertheless, Obama will be our president soon and he needs our prayers now. He is a man with a wife and two small girls. I would not dare wish harm to him, and would be deeply saddened for his family if he were assassinated. I would never wish for his girls to grow up without their daddy, no matter what his philosophies are.
1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.
3 To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
It may be that we pray and never personally see the answers to our prayers for this man. But God is sovereign, and He's told us to pray for our leaders. Whether it's just good exercise for us to do so and we never see the benefit, or God does change Obama's heart and philosophies and he governs (not rules or reigns) with God's righteousness, either result has no bearing on what we are told to do.
According to what he's campaigned on and what he plans on doing after the inauguration, Obama may very well lead our country down into a pit of which we may never get out. And while we are to judge fools and not be in company with them, we are still told to pray for our leaders - whether they be fools or wise - whether they be evil or good - whether we really want to or not.
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And while we're at it, let's pray that the church will wake up in America and get a clue. Perhaps God orchestrated that Obama be elected so that the Christians will get up off their sofas and away from their tvs and the internet, the pursuit of pleasure and comfort, and will fall on their faces and start praying, which is what they should have been doing all along.
...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Amen! (and Reagan's wisdom)
Amen and amen!
On a tangential note:
I am reminded of Reagan's words: "Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem."