Praying for the nation
Redeem Israel, O God, out of all their troubles! – Psalms 25:22
Because our nation is in an election season, many people are being much more intentional about praying for our country. Christian are more aware at this time of the troubles in our nation and have made calling out to God a greater priority in their everyday life. While it is true that we need to be praying for out nation and especially for the outcome of the election, our prayer needs to start with ourselves. As individuals it is important to examine our life and the motives of our heart so that we can humble ourselves and repent of our own sin first. Then we can pray and repent for our nation and ask God to turn it around to head in His direction instead of to ruin.
Today’s Psalm is an earnest prayer from David that lays out a plan of action for seeking God’s guidance, forgiveness, and protection. It begins with a personal plea for God’s help, but it doesn’t end there. David’s prayer organically grows into a broader intercession for his nation, Israel. His prayer starts with his own personal issues and struggles and then expands into praying for others. This example shows us an important lesson about the power and responsibility of prayer, especially when it comes to our nation.
Below is a basic outline of David’s example of praying for Israel, his homeland.
Start with Your Own Heart
Before we can effectively pray for our nation, David reminds us that we need to start by praying for our own hearts. David began his prayer by asking God to guide him, teach him, and forgive him. He understood that if he wanted to be a vessel for change in his nation, he first needed to line up his own life with God’s plan and purpose and be cleansed from his sins. Below are the steps you can take to begin lining your life up with the heart of God for you:
1, Seek God’s Guidance and direction: “Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalm 25:4-5)
Pray that God would guide you in His truth and teach you His ways. As you seek His direction for your life, you will be better equipped to understand how to pray for your nation.
2. Ask for Forgiveness: “Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good.” (Psalm 25:6-7)
Begin by confessing your own sins and asking God to cleanse you. A heart that is humble and open before God is a powerful instrument in prayer. When we recognize our need for God’s mercy, we are reminded of His great grace and goodness, which we can then extend in prayer for our nation.
Pray for the Nation with a heart in agreement with God’s plans and purpose
Once you have gotten your heart right before your heavenly Father, extend that prayer to your nation. David prayed, “Deliver Israel, O God, from all their troubles!” (Psalm 25:22). His prayer for Israel came from a heart that had already been touched by God’s mercy and guidance, giving him a heart of love and compassion for the people in his land.
This is the way we can pray for leaders and the people of America: Ask God to guide our leaders with His wisdom and righteousness. Pray for the people of our nation to turn their hearts toward God, seeking His truth and justice. Just as David asked for God’s guidance, we can ask God to show our nation His ways and lead it on the right path.
Intercede for forgiveness and healing: Stand in the gap for America, asking God to forgive the sins that have been done against Him. Pray for healing where there is division, strife, or injustice. Just as you asked God for personal forgiveness, intercede for our land with the same heart of repentance and humility.
Trust in God’s Faithfulness: Remember that the same God who hears your personal prayers is the God who holds America in His hands. Trust in His faithfulness to answer prayers, both for yourself and for your country. David trusted God to deliver Israel, and we can also trust God to move powerfully in our nation at this time. As we repent and put God in first place in our lives, He will turn things around not only on a personal level but also to a national revival.
Today I want to encourage you that a national transformation begins with personal revival. As we humble ourselves, seek God’s guidance, and ask for His forgiveness, we position ourself to pray effectively for our nation. Praying for yourself first will allow God to work in your heart, preparing you to stand in the gap for your country. When you pray for your nation, you become part of the greater work that God is doing to bring about healing, justice, and righteousness on a larger scale. As the time of the election gets closer each day, lets humble ourselves first and ensure that we are personally walking out the plan and path of our Father’s perfect design but don’t stop there. Just as David’s personal prayer extended to Israel, let’s allow our prayers to flow from our own hearts to the heart of our nation, trusting in God’s goodness and faithfulness to bring about His purpose in our lives and then in the world around us.
Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 25
1 To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me.
3 Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.
4 Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.
8 Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
9 The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
11 For Your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
12 Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.
13 He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth.
14 The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart have enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses!
18 Look on my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins.
19 Consider my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.
20 Keep my soul, and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You.
22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all their troubles!
The Daily Dose 