Today is the first President’s Day following a bitter election, a second impeachment trial, and a global pandemic. Many Americans awake to this holiday with the PTSD of recent events and even feelings of distrust or resentment towards government leaders.
How can we celebrate a day like President’s Day amid these circumstances?
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 1 Pet. 2:13-17
Scotty Smith observed that it must have been difficult for Peter to pen these words under the oppressive regime of Emperor Nero. Our faith does not exist in a vacuum. We do not have to look any further than the Old Testament and the early church for examples of Christians living amid cultural and political unrest.
What can we do?
- Remain respectful. (Romans 13)
- Search the scriptures. (2 Timothy 3:16)
- Live your witness. (2 Corinthians 5:20)
- PRAY (1 Timothy 2:1-3)
Regardless of who holds the office (person/party), Christians have a responsibility to pray for our country and its leadership. America can be proud of its tradition of religious liberty. May we use that privilege to lift up our leaders and ask God to heal our land. I close this post with an eloquent quote from Franklin Graham.
“Today as we commemorate Presidents Day in this country, as Christians let’s make it a day to specifically PRAY for our president. We don’t pray for our leaders just when we agree with them, but even when we don’t agree because we know they need wisdom and help from God. The Bible instructs us to pray for those who are in authority so that “we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”
– Franklin Graham
