First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

— 1 Timothy 2:1–2

“You are the light of the world,” Jesus told His followers in the Sermon on the Mount. As such, we are to “let [our] light shine before others,” so that they would glorify God (Matthew 5:16). Paul reminded the Philippians that they “shine like stars in the world” as he instructed them to “Do everything without grumbling and arguing” (Philippians 2:14–15). And Peter reminded believers to live honorably so that outsiders would “observe your good works and glorify God on the day he visits” (1 Peter 2:12). 

There’s a consistent expectation throughout Scripture that God’s people would be set apart from the world; but also that the world would benefit from this. By following the way of Jesus and rejecting the currents of culture, we will magnify the beauty of our Savior. And some, seeing this, will be drawn in and put their faith in Jesus. For the salvation of others and for the glory of God, then, we as Christians are to live our lives in ways that are markedly different from those who don’t yet know Christ. 

There are, of course, many ways to live differently from the world, and part of what that looks like will vary depending on when and where we live. But in our current cultural moment, obeying Paul’s instructions in 1 Timothy 2:1–2 would certainly cause Christians to stand out. At a time when political polarization is high and when many are far more eager to demonize those of different political leanings rather than love them, we have an opportunity to “shine like stars” by praying for our leaders, regardless of whether or not we voted for them. 

What might this look like in practice? 

Pray for Our President 

In his own day, Paul’s instructions in 1 Timothy 2:1–2 would have certainly involved prayers for the emperor of Rome. (Peter instructed Christians to “Submit to” and “Honor” the emperor in 1 Peter 2:13–17). In our time, this would translate into prayers for presidents. Perhaps no other single individual in our country bears the weight of so many people’s hopes and dreams, so it is vital that we pray for them. Pray that our president would: 

• Have a sense of gratitude for the role they’ve been called to

• Surround themselves with advisors who are just and wise 

• Defend those who are marginalized and oppressed

• Have the courage to make the right decisions, even when they are unpopular

• Be committed to the well-being of all citizens 

Pray for Local Government Leaders

Prayers for “kings and all those who are in authority” would include prayers not just the president but for all who serve in our government. Numerous people serve our national government, but there are also many who serve at the state and local level and whose decisions impact us most directly. Pray that these leaders would: 

• Have a deep love for the communities they’ve been called to serve

• Know the concerns and needs of their community 

• Be attentive to their constituents and accessible to them 

• Make wise decisions that lead to the safety and flourishing of their community

Pray for Our Nation

In Genesis 12:1–3,

God called Abraham and promised to make him into a great nation who would, in turn, bless all the nations of the earth. The New Testament shows this promise being fulfilled as the good news about Jesus—the Son of Abraham—is preached in Jerusalem and then begins to take root in other parts of the Roman Empire. Today, the nations are continuing to be blessed as people from all over the world place their faith in Jesus. As one of the nations that has been blessed through Jesus, pray that: 

• We would shine the light of Jesus to our local communities

• Many people in our nation would turn to Jesus in faith

• God would continually watch over and protect us

• We would be continually sending more missionaries to bring the name of Jesus to other nations

A Tranquil and Quiet Life

The goal of praying for our leaders, according to Paul, is that we’d live “a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” The idea here isn’t that we would live in seclusion, minding our own affairs while ignoring the people around us. Rather, Paul is praying for a stable and peaceful society in which the gospel can take root and spread. 

As we pray for our leaders then, we are praying for the conditions of our nation to be such that the message of Jesus will be made widely known. So may we regularly be in prayer—for our president, our local leaders, and for our nation as a whole—that the name of Jesus would be magnified. 

Author Bio:

Scott Dickson serves as a Theological Editor at The Daily Grace Co. He lives with his wife, Krystal, and their two boys in the Houston area. Scott is deeply passionate about helping people to understand the Bible and how all of it speaks to our everyday lives.

Additional Resources for Prayer:

The Prayer Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to the Practice of Prayer		Retiring - Pray | Bible Study on Prayer		A Prayer for Our Leaders		All Things New - Praying Scripture Journal
Loading price…		Loading price…				Loading price…
Add to Cart		Add to Cart		View Blog		Add to Cart