Leaving the House of Fear
A Prayer for Election Day and Beyond
Prayer is the way out of the house of fear and into the house of love.
~Henri Nouwen
Because we believe that the only place to take our fears, our anxiety, and the deepest concerns of our hearts is to Jesus, we invite you to join us in praying for our community, our country, and our world today. Would we find great comfort and hope in the person of Jesus alone.
Dear Father, who holds all people and things in his hands, we come to you asking you to guide us and quiet our fears. We know in our heads that you are the Only One who truly rules this world… make this truth real in our hearts. Everything from galaxies to governments, there is no name or power outside of your rule. We acknowledge and take comfort in the truth that you are in charge of it all.
Our hope can only be found in you and the finished work and sacrifice of Jesus for us. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead also lives in us and gives us strength for each new day. Fix our eyes on you and your kingdom which is not of this world. We are strangers in a strange land and pray our hearts would truly long for our real home with you.
Even as exiles in a foreign land, remind us of our calling to follow Christ, at all cost to ourselves. You have set us in this time and place to be salt and light to our neighbors, our community. Let us experience again the love of Jesus in our own hearts so that it flows out into hopeful care to those you have placed in our paths. Would you cause us to exude the fruits of the Spirit… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no space for hatred, mean speech, excluding others, and slander in your kingdom.
You sustain and uphold all things, only you preserve our lives. You are making all things new by your power. Help us again trust your hand at work even when we can’t see it. Reassure our anxious hearts that you are using all things for your glory and our good, even while we might sit in darkness and uncertainty.
And finally, give us eyes to see that all things matter to you. All issues, all ethics, all character matters to you. Guide us in the ways you would call us each to serve you, to be a part of making all things new.
Only because of Jesus’ finished and complete work for us can we bring our hearts to you today.
Amen.
Meditate on these Scripture truths and let them bring comfort and hope to your weary hearts.
“Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.” Psalm 146:3-4 (ESV)
“I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!
All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church.” Ephesians 1:18-21 (MSG)
“The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases.” Proverbs 21:1 (NLT)
“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, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV)