"Lord, teach us to pray...." Prayer and the National Election

Being in a "Swing" state, like Ohio, is a blessing and a curse! The positive aspect is that just about weekly now, you have the chance, if you wish, to see the candidates live and in person. The flip side is all of the negative advertising that is bombarding the airwaves and electronic media. It is estimated that to date over 109 million dollars has been spent by both campaigns in the State of Ohio alone. (Criminal?) How many people would that money put back to work in decent paying jobs?

The advertising is so overwhelming from the two sides that the voter quits listening (at least, this one) and cannot wait for November 6. The animosity and ill will from both campaigns is alarming and proves that the Republicans and Democrats, who espouse such virtuous values and ethics, are in fact morally bankrupt and filled with empty campaign rhetoric.

What is a Christian to do?

I find that I am spending more time in prayer than at any other period in my life. Praying for guidance and wisdom to make a wise and informed choice not only about the candidates but how I can be a better citizen of this great Nation in the service of others and following in the Master's footsteps.

While going through some books the other day, I came across Walter Bruggemann's Prayers for a Privileged People (Abingdon Press). His title has always intrigued me. The collection of prayers is both challenging for those of us who have means and comforting as the very nature of the Christian faith is revealed. Near the beginning of the book, one finds a prayer entitled The Noise of Politics which seemed quite appropriate with two weeks left before our National election.

The Noise of Politics

We watch as the jets fly in
with the power people
and the money people,
the suits, the budgets, and the billions.

We wonder about monetary policy
because we are among the haves,
and about generosity
because we care about the have-nots.

By slower modes we notice
Lazarus and the poor arriving from Africa,
and the beggars from Central Europe, and
the throng of environmentalists
with their vision of butterflies and oil
of flowers and tanks
of things growing and
killing fields.

We wonder about peace and war,
about ecology and development,
about hope and entitlement.

We listen beyond jeering protesters and
soaring jets and
faintly we hear the mumbling of the crucified one,
something about
feeding the hungry
and giving drink to the thirsty,
about clothing the naked,
and noticing the prisoners,
more about the least and about holiness among them.

We are moved by the mumbles of the gospel,
even while we are tenured in our privilege.

We are left ready to join the choir of hope,
half afraid things might change,
and in a third half of our faith
turning to you,
and your outpouring love
that works justice and
that binds us each and all to one another.

So we pray amid jeering protesters
and soaring jets.
Come by here and make new,
even at some risk to our entitlements.

(Walter Bruggemann, Prayers for a Privileged People; pages 21 and 22)

Love One Another - Brian