current events

3 Ways to Pray for the 2024 Election

Nathaniel Williams | November 04, 2024
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EDITOR'S NOTE

This article is a part of our series, The Way of Christ in Politics and the Public Square.

Tomorrow is the 2024 election. We’ve been bombarded with political advertisements. Some of us have even studied our candidates and researched the issues. But have we prayed?

Prayer isn’t often our first reaction. But prayer is essential, even for political matters. In 1 Timothy 2:1-2, the apostle Paul writes,

  • “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”

Paul urges that we pray for everyone, including those in positions of authority over us. How, then, can we pray for the 2024 election? Here are some thoughts:

1. Pray for the candidates.

When you receive your ballot, you’ll see a list of names of people running for everything from President to your local school board. We don’t know the candidates’ hearts, but God does. You can pray for them in these ways:

  • Pray that the candidates would believe in Jesus as Savior, if they have not done so.
  • Pray that believing candidates would pursue Jesus and allow him to transform their lives.
  • Pray that God would grant wisdom to whichever candidates win so they can lead justly.

So pray for the candidates you’ll vote for, which is easy. But also pray for the candidates you won’t vote for, which is more difficult. Ultimately Their greatest need isn’t a change in politics; it’s a change in heart. And who knows how God could transform a person’s life — perhaps even through a ballot box prayer.

Elections do matter, but elections are not ultimate.

2. Pray that we would vote.

You and I have a tremendous responsibility and privilege to be able to choose the leaders who govern us. Most humans throughout history have had no choice in who their leaders are. Yet every election cycle, we get to pick ours. What a tremendous privilege!

This right to vote came at great cost. Our Founding Fathers sacrificed to give us this opportunity, and many of your friends or family members also served to protect this right.

So let’s pray that we wouldn’t take this voting privilege for granted. Let’s pray we would educate ourselves about the candidates and issues, steward our votes well, and in wisdom vote.

3. Pray that we would keep the election in perspective.

We often get fearful when we think about the future. What might happen if a certain candidate or party wins? What if they enact policies we object to? Candidates and political parties often stoke these fears in an effort to get us to vote a particular way.

Without a doubt, candidates and policies do matter. We should be informed about the issues, filter our opinions through a biblical framework, and make wise, educated decisions at the polls. We ought not be cavalier with these responsibilities.

But above all, here’s what we need to remember: Elections do matter, but elections are not ultimate. No matter what the outcome of the 2024 election is, these things will still be true:

  • Jesus will still be King.
  • His Kingdom will still be coming.
  • The church will still have a mission.
  • And we will still be called to love one another.

As John Piper once said, “One day America and all its presidents will be a footnote in history, but God’s kingdom will never end.” Whether your favorite candidates win or lose, our hope doesn’t rest in who resides on Capitol Hill. Our ultimate hope rests in Jesus alone. And our respsonsibilites will be the same.

So prepare. Vote. Make your voice heard. But before you do any of that, pray.

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  • current events
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Nathaniel D. Williams

Editor and Content Manager

Nathaniel D. Williams (M.Div, Southeastern Seminary) oversees the website, podcast and social media for the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture, and he serves as the pastor of Cedar Rock First Baptist Church. His work has appeared at Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Fathom Mag, the ERLC and BRNow.org. He and his family live in rural North Carolina.

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