MY PRAYER FOR THE MISSOURI LEGISLATURE

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, andgiving of thanks, be made for all men;

For kings, and forall that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

For this isgood and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there isone God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"

--1 Tim. 2:1-5

Several weeks ago I was invited to open today’s session of the Missouri House of Representatives in prayer. The prayer that I prayed follows:

Heavenly Father,

You have told us in Your Word, in 2 Sam. 23:3 that, “He that ruleth over men, must be just, ruling in the fear of God.” With this in mind, we are gathered here this morning to recognize you, and to call upon your Name to help this legislative body in the work that they have to do, not only today, but also in the days ahead.

Help this legislative body to be evermore conscious and concerned about the challenges that are present now in a culture that has become one of death, deceitfulness and moral degradation at every level. A culture that celebrates its denial of you; the place You have held in our past, and the place You should have in the life of our nation and in the State of Missouri today.

Help this body to have and demonstrate the wisdom and courage it needs for the conducting of the business that is before them today – not with regard to personal or party interest, but with a desire to uphold and advance the interests of the people of Missouri in a way that will be pleasing to You.

And in closing this prayer Lord, I ask that you will help each individual here to not just think in the moment or in terms of this legislative session, but in terms of their being people who need to have their lives ennobled every day by acts that redound to your glory and to the good of the people they have been elected to serve. Help them to see and seize the unusual opportunity they have been given during this steadily closing window of time that we call their “term of office,” to deport themselves as statesmen and not as politicians. Help them to become better men and women during the time that they spend in this place today.

Above all, I pray that you will help everyone in this assembly to enjoy the relationship and expectation that all are promised who have placed their faith in the death burial and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ.

All of this I ask very gratefully, in Jesus’ name. Amen