At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. Rev. 4:2
Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 1 Pet. 2:17
Heavenly Father, as those you’ve given to Jesus, and sealed with your Spirit, we bow before you today with gratitude and groaning. We are grateful the Gospel is true, the throne of heaven is occupied, and the return of Jesus is certain. These 3 grand realities give us peace, and fuel our hope.
In our gratitude “we groan inwardly as we wait eagerly” for the completion of our salvation and the fullness of your Kingdom (Rom. 8:23). We’ve never groaned louder, or been more eager for the Day of all-things-new (Rev. 21:1-5).
Father, as votes are cast and counted in America today, give us all the grace we will need to love, obey, and trust you. Surely this is what is means to “fear God”—to live with affectionate awe of who you really are. Only you are God. Only you are sovereign. Only you are worthy of our worship.
“Honor the emperor”—this will require a lot of your grace, no matter who sits in the Oval Office the next four years. In Peter’s day the emperor was Nero. In John’s day, even worse, it was Domitian. Prepare us Father, whether we are pleased, angry, or are frightened by the outcome.
“Show proper respect to everyone”—to believers and non-believers alike. We haven’t done a great job of this lately, Father. Help us to be salt and light, in a world of bitterness and spite.
“Love the family of believers”—this will never be more necessary moving forward, Father. The world will know we belong to Jesus by the way we love each other—not by the way we voted. Help us, heal us, heart-fill us with your glory and grace, humility and kindness. Renew our first-love for Jesus, and deepen our trust in you. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ triumphant and tender name.
