August 10, 2026 | Be Connected
Praying for Our Authorities
Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-4(NIV)
1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 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, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Devotional
I have worked on the computers and networking infrastructure of the state legislature for over 31 years now. It's a great position from which to watch politics without the stress of an election cycle deciding my employment.
One Friday around lunchtime, God directed my steps so that I "just happened" to be walking by the Statehouse chapel. (Did you know Indiana is one of the few states to have one?) Someone talked me into joining a Bible study, and I was hooked! Since then, my Friday lunches have been spent with a ministry team called Public Servants Prayer (www.thepsp.org). Their mission is simple yet profound: "To cultivate a spirit of unity and respect in the political landscape through the daily practice of prayer."
The PSP team is comprised of godly, loving people who understand something that often feels lost in today’s modern political environment: God has ordained civil government and the leaders He has placed there.
As Romans 13:1-2 reminds us: "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves."
Scripture makes it clear that we are to pray for, honor, and obey our civil leadership, unless a mandate stands in direct opposition to the Word of God. Peter echoed this, telling us to, "submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority" — not because the leaders are perfect, but because we are "servants of God" called to silence ignorant talk by doing good (1 Peter 2:13-15).
You might not like "the emperor." As I write this, we are just two days past an assassination attempt on the President’s life at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. My heart breaks for the young would-be assassin—a young man with a promising career who has now ruined his life—and for the attendees who will never truly feel safe again. But mostly, I am grieved by how these actions grieve the heart of God.
When I re-read our verse for today, 1 Timothy 2:3 tells us: "This is good, and pleases God our Savior." I realized that when the Bible says, "pleases God," it means we have the incredible opportunity to bless God’s heart simply by praying for our leaders. As you pray for those in authority today, perhaps you can start here: "God, as I pray for our leaders, help me to understand Your heart for them. I ask that You guide them with Your wisdom and grace. Amen."
