I haven’t participated in Five Minute Friday with Kate Motaung in ages. I needed to do some decluttering in my life – not only of my things, but of my thoughts, my wishes, my dreams. It is easy for me to get caught up in all of my big ideas and have too many that it is unable to keep up with any of them. Can you relate? Anyway, writing is sticking around. So without further ado, here is my first FMF post of 2017.
This week’s prompt: Refine
I’m not going to beat around the bush. I did not vote for Donald Trump. Frankly, I sometimes used the hashtag #neverTrump. But I don’t want to talk about that here. Not really. I just need you to know where I’m coming from.
After the election, a friend sent me a petition to sign. I assumed it was a request to Trump to step down, because what else could be circulating after such a divisive election? I was wrong.
It was a promise to pray for President Trump. A promise to pray regularly for him that he would use his power to promote justice, peace, and goodness. That he would come to God in a spirit of humility and repentance. That he would be blessed.
It was the exact opposite of what I anticipated. I signed.
Weeks went by and then Psalm 72 popped up in my devotional reading. It says,
Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
May he judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice…For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.(Psalm 72:1-2, 12-14, emphasis mine)
My heart cried out, Yes!
Yes, may President Trump be a man who does not seek merely the good of the wealthy, the white, the powerful, but may he care for the needy. May he bring justice to the ones who are afflicted. May he rescue them from oppression. From violence. From unrighteousness.
These evils stem from many places in this world. May our president stand up to them and lift the poor with him.
And may we be refined as we pray for him. May our hearts which may be bitter against him or other political rulers, learn not to be hardened in hatred, but skim away the hatred, Lord, so that we can love well. So that we can be agents of Good.
And above all – and here is where I trust all Christians must turn to – we recognize that no ruler was ever meant to rule the whole world. But rather Jesus came in humility to bring about justice and to save all people from this fallen world.
So, yes, bless President Trump, God. With your wisdom. Your justice. Your love. Your grace. Have mercy on us, Lord.
And may “all nations be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed” – both our President, but ultimately our God-King Jesus Christ. (Psalm 72:17)
Amen
Oh AMEN!!! Praying with you for sure! I love what you wrote here. I have friends who feel passionately about the election – in both directions. It has been painful to watch. So I pray. For that is the REAL power any of us have. Our personal powerful revelation and understanding and relationship with our Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Thank you for all you shared and I will be praying those verses as well!
Thanks for your enthusiastic Amen!! Truth be told, I am pretty passionate, but God is refining me to see I don’t always have the best attitude about things. 😉 Thanks for praying with me!
Amen! Very well said!
Thanks, Mary!
I share your sentiments but have also struggled with the hate that is being spewed from both sides. The one revelation that came out of the election is that people all across the country feel isolated and unheard. The human response is to label, judge and isolate some more. Yet, that’s falling in line with Satan’s desire to divide God’s people. So yes to your exhortation to pray and focus on the Ruler of all.
I’m also doing the FMF. I’m at #63 this week.
I also struggle with the hate. It has been poisonous and I worry about where our country is heading. But worrying doesn’t do anything. Thanks for joining me in prayer!
Thanks for sharing your prayer Leah. If there is one thing I have learned in my life it is that not only does God use prayer through His people to move amazing action, but His people are moved by prayer. I joined a prayer group for all of our leadership because not only do they need it, but so does our nation.
God bless you and thank you again for sharing. Dropping by also from FMF.
Yes! God uses prayer for so many things and I believe He acts as a result of our prayers. A prayer group for our leadership! I love that. Bless you and thanks for reading!
It makes my heart glad to hear that, expecting to sign a petition to get rid of Trump, you RESPONDED TO PRAYER FOR HIM! IT’s so encouraging to see women (and men of course) responding to God’s heart & call for us, even when we may feel like going the opposite direction. Beautifully said! This is my first FMF, and I’m enjoying reading others’ thoughts.
First, welcome to FMF!! Second, I’m glad this encouraged you. Thanks for taking the time to respond and I hope you will pray, too!
Welcome back, Leah! And thank you so much for sharing your heart here. I really appreciate your perspective, and your willingness to commit to praying for the new administration — a great example to follow.
Thanks for the welcome!! And encouragement. 🙂
I share many of your same thoughts friend. Thanks for this post.