You could hear a pin drop. The prayerful silence of our congregation grew even more still as I gave thanks for a politician and her role in maintaining the peace of the church. I then asked God that if she didn’t know Christ, she would come to faith. I also asked that she would remember that on the last day she will give an account not to the Constitution and the law of the land but to the law of God.
After the service, several people approached me to tell me in a hushed voice that the politician was certainly not saved. She was, it turns out, a very public sinner. My understanding is that at least one visiting family never returned because they believe I sinned grievously by even suggesting the possibility of her salvation.
Praying publicly for politicians can be hard. I remember one Sunday I thanked God for the new mayor. Upon saying “amen,” I looked up only to discover that her former opponent had just taken a seat in a nearby pew.
All public prayers have three audiences: God; ourselves (Ps. 42:11); and our listeners, saved and unsaved (Ps. 22:23), including political leaders (Ps. 2:10, Ps.
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