Pray without Seizing

Another struggle I have had with the election is how people have used prayer as a magic trick found in some mystical book, instead of a powerful took in the hands of weak vessels.

During this election season I received many emails encouraging me to pray that the election would go God's way. I wonder how much God appreciates our praying for Him to have His way, that's mighty white of us (yes I said that, that another post for another day). In reality what these prayer messages were asking for us to pray is that the Republicans win, as if God were a card carrying politician and a Republican. Do you think?

Some of these emails asked me to pray for one minute a day, others encouraged readers to pray at a designated time each day. I wonder if they believe God only listens for a minute or at a certain time.

The question I have is why don't we pray always as encouraged in 1 Thess. 5:17 (pray without ceasing). Why make prayer important only when our back are against the wall. If we really want to see God move on our behalf why don't we change what we pray for and how we pray, instead of praying to seize. You know praying to manipulate God into our agenda.

Here's a thought: To think that God care about who is President of the United States more than the millions who lose their lives each day to evil dictators and starvation while our money markets stumble is arrogance at it's fullest. We are so full of ourselves and our country. Don't get me wrong, I love America and am very grateful for the privilege of being American, but it just seems to me we are creating a culture of expectation on God that were never part of a Christ following life.

How about making prayer more about us? What if we focus our prayers not on the government, our messed up schools, the high taxes we pay or the price of gas and focus our hearts back toward repentance individually.

I extend my thoughts in this post to those "Spiritual Leaders", many of who I have great respect, however their reaction to this election has puzzled me. To not vote because your candidate didn't get nominated is ridiculous. To slam the president elect on a platform of ministry claiming God gave us what we deserved smacks with Pharisaical religion!

It's time that the Christian (I really don't like that label) community stop praying to seize and start praying without ceasing for revival to sweep our world for the days are short and Jesus is coming soon!