I receive many prayer requests on my Facebook page and not that long ago was asked to pray for elections in Kenya. And then a second message asked for continued prayer as votes were counted and announcements were made. I immediately thought of Proverbs 14:34.
“Righteousness exalts a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people.”
The definition in this passage describes blameless conduct and integrity. It insinuates that the justice, right actions, and right attitudes that God desires would also be in people.
God is our divine Judge, and as humans we are called to imitate Him in righteousness and justice. For example, returning a poor man’s cloak was an act of obedience in God’s eyes and considered righteous (Deuteronomy 24:13).
I didn’t know the exact situation in Kenya, any more than I know everything that goes on in our own government– but God does. And when His people pray, He hears and is apt to act on behalf of righteousness.
My obvious prayer is that righteous men and women would be raised to a place of authority, but what if my prayer is a little late? What if the current leaders are not people who seek after and honor God? No worries. Just as God saved me (and you) and established us in righteousness through faith in His Son Jesus, any person who calls on God can be saved and attributed with the same– including our current leaders.
So whether we are prompted to pray for Kenya or the United States, remember that we can always pray for salvation. “For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10). We know it is God’s desire for every person to be saved, so it is right for us to pray that our leaders (or future leaders) find salvation in Christ.
No one is out of His reach!
Let us pray today for revelation of Jesus to be on the hearts of every man and woman in government, for then (and only then) will RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALT A NATION. And the people will rejoice and be happy!
And if it’s in your power to do so, always VOTE in your local elections.
We cannot promote righteousness without action.
