Praying for Our Congress and President

Praying for the Congress of the United States

Why should we pray for our leaders? The following scripture gives us several reasons for praying for leaders. Can you find them?

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. 1Timothy 2:1-4

Our lives will be peaceful.

We will have godliness and holiness in our nation.

Prayer is good and pleases God.

So all men and women might be saved.

So everyone will know the truth.

How should we pray for our leaders? Many new Representatives and Senators have just been elected. These leaders and their families make a great sacrifice to serve our nation. They get tired and don’t have enough time together. Some of them will have to relocate their families, which means their children will have to change schools and get used to a new living environment. They need your prayers for their personal lives and for their position of leadership.

Pray for the family.

Pray for physical strength, health, and protection.

Pray for godly wisdom to guide them as they lead our nation.

Pray for a spiritual hunger.

Pray that they would come to know Jesus.

When should we pray for our leaders? We should take the time to pray for our leaders often. The first step is to find out the name of your Representative and Senator. Then gather information about their families. Using this information and make a prayer list. Each morning pray for the items on the list. This is a simple way to get in the habit of praying as an individual. Share this plan with your family, your school or your church. You should also pray for your leader at times of crisis in our nation, when problems arise in his/her own life and whenever you hear their names or see them in the newspaper.

History Makers from the National Children's Prayer Congress, 2001speak on Praying for Our Leaders.

"The power of prayer should never be underestimated. As a delegate to the National Children's Prayer Congress, the main focus of my prayers this week will be to pray for our leaders, their decisions, their families and their safety. Talking to God through prayer can be helpful in overcoming temptation, getting rid of fear, healing sickness, or in the case of our government, making a decision that will honor God. But now it is time for you and I as delegates to make a difference. If we can take time to place our prayers before God, and ask that His will be done, we can be confident that He will answer our prayers." Hanna

"I know the power of prayer is strong, and it is important for our politicians to see and know that the children of our country are thinking of them. They need to know that we pray to Jesus to help guide them in their everyday lives." Brittany

"By attending the National Children's Prayer Congress, I hope to gain an understanding of our one nation under God, to bring hope and joy to our nation's leaders. I encourage the leaders of this country to follow God and see what plans He would have for them, not what they have decided to do. I want to also encourage you to keep moving forward using the gifts God has given you." Ashley

A Prayer for Our Leaders

"I ask you Lord to make these leaders influence others to know about God and His wonders. God, I want you to let our leaders know that this is a serious job and that they have a major responsibility. Give them the courage to meet that challenge. I would also like to ask for their protection and safety from anything that is bad. Just put your angels around them and give them a sense of comfort. Let them have the ability to handle pressure through hard times. Help them to remember you are always with them and you love them. And pour your blessings down on them In your precious Son's name." Justin

Praying for Our President and His Family

On November 7, 2000 our nation elected a new President. His name is George W. Bush. His wife’s name is Laura. They have two college age daughters, Barbara and Jenna. The Bush family lives in Texas but will move to Washington, DC on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2001, where they will live in the White House

Take a minute to think about some of the challenges the Bush family will face as they move to Washington, DC. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

The White House is a very public place. Each day thousands of visitors are allowed to tour the house. What do you think it would be like to have that many people visiting your house each day? Pray that the President and his family will adjust to the pressures of living in the White House.
The job of President is a very important one for our nation and the world. What if your father had that job? How would you feel? Pray that our President will understand that he needs God’s help to lead our nation.
There are times when the President has to travel to other countries. These trips may take the President away from his family. Some of these trips are very dangerous. Pray for safety and protection in travel.
There are many important decisions that the President has to make each day. There are times when people like his decisions and there are times when they don’t. Pray that our President will make wise decisions no matter what the people say or think.

You can see there are many ways to pray for our President and his family. After you write down your own prayer targets, begin to use this list to pray each day. Your commitment to pray can make a great difference in the way in which our President and his family adjust to their new home. Your prayers can help our President become a good strong leader and help him to make wise decisions as he leads our nation. This is not only important for America as a whole, but also for you as an individual.

Praying for the President at the White House Gate