A prayer for the election

Suggested for Mennonite congregations

April 5, 2011 | Web First
Dave Rogalsky | For Canadian Mennonite
Waterloo, Ont.

 

 

Leader:  Lord God, Ruler of the Universe, King of kings and Lord of lords, in this Federal Election in the spring of 2011 we come and bow before you, our first and last allegiance.  You have created powers and principalities, governments and institutions, to regulate human life. We acknowledge them as your servants for our good.

Congregation:  Thank you God for your good gifts.

Leader:  In this election we are given choices between policies, leaders, parties and local representatives.

Congregation:  Thank you Lord for your gift of free will to choose.

Leader:  In the many choices we are sometimes confused by the messages that are carefully shaped to communicate what the leaders and parties want us to hear, by the media’s commentary, and by the opinions of party supporters.

Congregation:  Sophia God, we ask you for wisdom, clarity of thought, depth of passion, love for all those who run and those who vote, both for ourselves, and for the candidates themselves.

Leader:  Some of us have been turned off from the whole political process, including exercising our privilege and responsibility to vote by attack ads, character assassinations, impolite behaviour on the part of candidates, parties and leaders.

Congregation:  Lord of hope, forgive us our apathy and cynicism, and help those who run in the election to rise to standards of behaviour and truth befitting leaders in our country.

Leader:  We come from many political perspectives and opinions.

Congregation:God of the marginalized, as we vote, may we always remember our neighbours, the poor, the downtrodden, “the widow, the orphan and the refugee” in our midst. May we remember justice, righteousness, mercy and grace.

Leader:  This is a huge expenditure of time, money and human talents.

Congregation:God of faithful work, we pray for those who do the work of making voting possible in every city, town, village, and every area of our country, may they have energy and integrity in the task.

Together:  God who remains the same day after day, the end result is unknown to us, may we support our leaders with prayer, good advice, fair criticism, and honest praise, whether we voted for them or not.  May your creation of government rule humbly, and honestly, working for the common good in our country. 

Leader:  We pray this in the name of the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Prince of Peace.

Congregation:  Amen.

--April 3, 2011

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