Whether the leaders of your country are Christians or not, you and I are to pray for those in authority over us, even if we did not choose them to be our leaders.
It is God who sets up kings and rulers. And it is God who commands His people to pray for them. But what specifically should we pray about? 1 Timothy 2:1-4 tells us that first of all we are to pray for each other. We are to intercede with God on each other's behalf. You pray for me. I pray for you. We are to give thanks to God for each other; for 'all men'. This is God's will for us when we pray.
We pray for our leaders, for they who are in authority places. Why? 1 Timothy 2:2 "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty". So, if the life we are living in our countries is not peaceable and quiet, and we are not living our lives in godliness and honesty, it is because we are not praying to God for leaders and rulers. It is because of the negligence in our individual responsibility to God that chaos is in our nations. Ignoring God will only bring retribution from God, for God's wrath is for those who disobey His Word and refuse to repent of their wicked ways.
What are wicked ways? Sin is deliberately, knowingly disobeying God. Wicked ways are rebellion against God's Word and God's Way and God's Will. When you insist on doing what you want to do and refuse to do what God wants you to do, you are sinning against God. God has said in His Word what it means to obey Him and the rewards for those who do. But also He has given to us what it means to disobey Him and the punishment for those who disobey.
A hardened heart is one that refuses to listen and obey to God's Word. Yet, God is merciful and His lovingkindness extends to 'a thousand generations'. He shows mercy to those who seek His mercy. He offers salvation to those who desire to be blessed with His salvation. A hardened heart turns his or her back on God and walks according to their own way and will, instead of surrendering their hearts to God's way and God's will.
See, in 1 Timothy 2:4, we are reminded what God's will is: FOR ALL TO BE SAVED. FOR ALL TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH. Who can save us? Jesus Christ. John 3:16 and 17 " For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever (you and I) believes on Him, should not perish but have ever lasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."
God's will is for all to be saved. But how will the wicked know the salvation of The Lord God unless God's people pray and intercede on their behalf? How will they hear unless God's people go and preach the gospel? How will you believe unless you are given the opportunity to know this Jesus?
I am one of God's people. And you are being prayed for. You are being given the opportunity of a lifetime and beyond. You are loved. And it is this love that desires to see you saved with the grace of God through Jesus Christ. It is this love of God that sent Jesus to die on the cross. It is this love of God that rolled away the stone from the grave with such force that it scared they who watched over that grave. It is this love that brought salvation to us. It is this love, this love, that brings us to our knees in prayer: praying for each other and for our nations to be healed.
