I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:9b-10 (NIV)
On this Election Day, I share these prayers from our Lutheran resources and encourage you to spend time in prayer with them today:
Faithful living in society
Sovereign God, your Son Jesus lived within the structures of society even as he spoke truth to those in power and challenged systems of oppression. Empower us to be courageous disciples and responsible citizens. Grant that our life in the public realm be grounded in love for our neighbors, care for the most vulnerable in our midst, and respect for the common life we share, following the example of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. (All Creation Sings, p. 50)
Responsible citizenship
Lord God, you call your people to honor those in authority. Help us elect trustworthy leaders, participate in wise decisions for our common life, and serve our neighbors in local communities. Bless the leaders of our land, that we may be at peace among ourselves and a blessing to other nations of the earth; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. (ELW, p. 77)
A prayer from Kenya
From the cowardice that dare not face new truth,
from the laziness that is contented with half truth,
from the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,
good Lord, deliver us. Amen. (ELW Prayer Book for the Armed Services, p. 74)
Peace, reconciliation
Holy God,
out of your great love for the world,
your Word became flesh to live among us
and to reconcile us to you and to one another.
Rekindle among us the gift of your Spirit
that we might live as one new humanity in Christ,
dismantling the walls that divide,
ending the hostility between us,
and proclaiming peace to those who are near
and to those who are far away;
through Christ Jesus, in whom we all have access
in the one Spirit to you,
both now and forever. Amen.