Pray for Our President

CNN today had an article that sparked my interest.

It's titled Obama questioned on abortion, why he is a Christian

Some interesting quotes from the article

"I came to my Christian faith later in life, and it was because the precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead," Obama said. "Being my brothers' and sisters' keeper. Treating others as they would treat me. And I think also understanding that, you know, that Jesus Christ dying for my sins spoke to the humility that we all have to have as human beings."

Humans are "sinful" and "flawed" beings that make mistakes and "achieve salvation through the grace of God," the president continued, adding that we also can "see God in other people and do our best to help them find their, you know, their own grace."

"So that's what I strive to do," Obama said. "That's what I pray to do everyday. I think my public service is part of that effort to express my Christian faith."

Obama responded that abortion should be "safe, legal and rare" in America, adding that families -- not the government -- "should be the ones making the decision."

*emphasis mine

From simply the quotes the reporter from CNN gathered, President Obama has a clear understanding of the Christian faith, not a flawed/skewed, ohmygoodnessicantbelievehe'sachristian understanding.
Now as Christians we are called to submit to our leaders, whether they be Christian or not, and in the same vein to be praying for them. How much more then in understanding that President Obama is a fellow brother that we need to be in prayer for him? I will admit, I am not the biggest fan of some of the decisions he has made, but at the same time, he is placed in a position of authority over our entire country. We pray for our family to come to salvation, we pray for our friends to be comforted and strengthened in their trials, why do we not think to pray for our president to have wisdom? The following passages from Romans and 1 Peter ministered to me and convicted me to not criticize the work of the government, yes we need to be attentive and not just roll over, but also understand that God is sovereign and the authority over us now isn't by mistake, rather He instituted it, and when all else fails, we look to the Cross, upon where counter-intuitively, counter-culturally Christ submitted to the governing authority.

"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those that exist have been instituted by God...therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed." Romans 13:1-7

"Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. " 1 Peter 2:13-25


*emphasis mine

Leadership

After a couple weeks on Pride and Its Antidote (Humility) [listen here]; the knowledge of service and leadership, pride and humility is seen not only in the church setting, but also it seems to be a desire of the secular world, in which leaders should serve the people.

In Mark 10:43-45

But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

we see Jesus responding to the request of James and John to be seated His right and left hand in heaven, yet the response is not what any of the disciples expected. To be told to serve people and ultimately that is how we would be "great". Counter-intuitive. Yet that is what Christ came to do, to submit Himself to the authority of God, the Father, and to serve and "give his life as a ransom for many."

Now many people might object to this truth, or "see it as good for you, Christian, but that's not what a good leader really is". In the secular eyes, to be great is to be first among many, to be selfish and to be ambitious, the top dawg. But here is an interesting quote I stumbled across, in which the inherent view of understanding leadership is not self serving, rather it is a service to others.

The quote is an excerpt from the senatorial campaign in Arizona.
“People want leaders who will serve them,” Ms. Zambrano said. -NYTimes [read here]

Perhaps the authentic definition of leadership does permeate far wider than I had anticipated.

Truth that ministers to my soul.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? Jer 17:9

"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself."
-Phil 3:20-21

Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication. Micah 7:8-9

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb 4:16

I will give thanks to You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well -Psalm 39:14

Knowledge may become good or ill according to the use which is made of it. If men know God, for instance, and then glorify him as God, and are thankful, their knowledge has become the means of great blessing to them; but if they know God, and fail to glorify him, their knowledge turns to their condemnation. -CHSpurgeon (knowledge worship gratitude)