Today is Tuesday, January, 20, 2021, and this morning Joseph Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. He is only the second Roman Catholic to hold that office (John F. Kennedy was the first in 1961). Moments before he took the oath, Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first woman Vice-President. I do not comment on partisan politics in my blogs, and I won’t start today. Regardless of who you or I voted for in the recent election, we are commanded to pray for those in high places.
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior.” (1 Timothy 2:1-3).
That being said, there are a few key things I think that we as Christians need to pray for in the coming years.
- Pray that the COVID-19 pandemic will soon begin to lessen as more people get vaccinated. We should thank God that several vaccines were developed so rapidly and are now available to a growing number of Americans. Barbara and I have already had our first shot and are waiting patiently for the second in a couple of weeks.
- Pray that the nation’s economy will bounce back sooner than later. Millions of Americans are still out of work or have had their businesses damaged by the pandemic.
- Pray that the country will experience a genuine spiritual and moral renewal. Politics is ultimately not the solution to the problems of our nation. We are in the midst of moral crisis unlike any in our history. No nation can ignore the moral principles prescribed in Scripture and endure. As our society sinks deeper into the mire of secularism we are becoming increasingly callous to the truth of God’s Word.
- Pray that our leaders (the President, Congress, and the Courts) will see the need to protect human life even from the womb. Perhaps no single matter since the end of slavery has brought more shame to this nation than abortion. Since 1973, when it was legalized by the United States Supreme Court (who somewhere and somehow found abortion is a right in the US Constitution), more than 63 million abortions have been performed in the USA. Abortions have decreased some in the past decade, but the numbers are still staggering. Pray that President Biden, as a Roman Catholic, will have a change of heart and support the teachings of his own church on this issue.
These are just a few basic things to pray for in the months and years ahead. As the Scripture says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.” (Proverbs 14:34 NIV)