My Prayer for Election Day

On the eve of this historic election let us pause for a moment of thanks. We should thank God for the men and women who committed themselves to establish a new nation, in which voting was possible. We should thank God for the courage of the women of the Suffrage movement who pioneered the path to the 19th Amendment and ensured women the right to vote. We should thank God for those who risked and sacrificed their lives to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to allow all our citizens, regardless of the color of their skin, to vote.

We also pray for forgiveness, that there are still some in our country whose votes are not allowed to be cast or counted, even in recent elections. We pray for protection of all the voters and the votes of this election.

We pray for the candidates, their family and their staff--who have worked tirelessly to offer the country the vision of the future they deeply believe in. Give them rest and a sense of peace, no matter what the outcome of the election. We pray for all the citizen volunteers, who have made democracy better by their work on this election campaign.

We pray most of all against a spirit of fear. The Scriptures say that "God has not given us a spirit of fear but a spirit of love, a spirit of power and a strong mind." Help us to remember the words of our Lord Jesus, who reminds us that love casts our fear and to be not afraid. If the Scriptures say, "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil," certainly we can make it through election day. No matter how we vote, let us vote more for the visions, ideas, and candidates that best represent our best values; rather than voting against candidates simply because of the negative and often manipulative things that others have said about them.

As a people of faith, we do not find in our scripture, we can not locate in any sacred text, a mandate to support a particular candidate for president or vote for a particular political party during this election. While the scriptures may not say what box we should check on election day, we must strive to be clear about the priorities of the kingdom of God and how we can best impact the common good. Voting is one part of the prophet's instruction to "Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare."

Today we also pray for those who will vote differently than we do, for their own reasons also deeply rooted in faith. And we pray, despite the outcome of the election tomorrow, that we will find the ways to build bridges and work together for the common good of the country we all dwell in. And may our votes tomorrow be guided less by a fear of our neighbor and more by a hope for the future.

God has blessed all the nations of the world, not just America. But we pray tomorrow for God's special blessing on our nation, and that the opportunities to fulfill our country's greatest possibilities might be greatly enlarged.

Jim Wallis is the author of The Great Awakening, Editor-in-Chief of Sojourners and blogs at www.godspolitics.com.

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Comments

[sklfcats]

I hope Barack does not have Wright do the prayer at inaugeral

[adampap]

god doesn't exist. sorry

[AnalyzeIT]

Maybe not by the particular name, but a "Higher Power" certainly does.

Therefore, you may use any name you like to identify or refer to "IT."

Praise be to that, Power.....­..........­.....

OBAMA is in!!!

[Diogenis]

"The fool says...God does not exist!"

[caught-in-the-middle]

Hmmm..seem­s to me like a lot of repub xians where lauding how god had answered their prayers 8 and 4 years ago. Now you and so many other "moderate" xians are lauding for the other side. Seems strange to me that your god cant make up his mind. Who is right? You or the hard liners?

I think you mistake the power of the vote with the reality of the failed policies of a "born again" xian's ability to lead, with your gods will.

Please, please, please... stop tryng to inject your religion into our political system. This nation was founded on a secular model with the belief that all men were created equal and the further religion and govenrment remain apart, the better for the whole.

[OtayPanky]

I don't get it.

You are (ostensibly) a Christian. And your master says you should pray in private, NOT in public.

Exhibit A, from the Sermon on the Mount:

===

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

===

So what's up with all this public praying, Jim?

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

[Diogenis]

My my, I see your anger. Have you not noticed a Pastor, Priest, or Bishop publicly praying throughout this race...and upon confirmation of Obama becoming President elect of our Country? Now, talk to a Pastor or Priest about prayer, and what Holy Scripture does say about it.

[OtayPanky]

I see clerics praying in public like this all the time. That's my point.

Jesus said prayer - real prayer - is private business..­.not public business.

Maybe Jesus didn't have the right line on this, though.

[MadProps]

New beginnings. New beginnings! The laws of the universe require balancing, leveling and a shift from dark to light. We're in need of special leaders to bring the light forth - like yourself Mr. Wallis. Amen.