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. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior… 1 Timothy 2:1-3

Let’s look at one specific instruction concerning prayer that is clearly focused on matters of public policy. Paul’s exhortation to the men of Ephesus can help us in thinking about how we should use the language of prayer to lead the way in public policy-making.

Paul instructed the men of Ephesus and everywhere to pray for public officials and, by association, for the policies such men might make. We remember that government is the servant of God and that He expects governments to do what is good. Governments these days are comprised of Christian and non-Christian officials, and we will need to make our prayers specific for each. Prayer as the first word of the language of public policy begins with God’s people holding up specific officials, by name or office, before the Lord, pleading with Him to shape and direct them – or to restrain or defeat them – according to His good purposes for civil government.

We also note that Paul urged the men of Ephesus to avail themselves of all kinds of prayer in all kinds of situations. The combining here of various words for prayer – supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings – is intended to “cover the gamut” of possible kinds of prayer – private and personal, public and formal, spontaneous or in response to specific situations or needs. No place or time is “out of bounds” or “off limits” when it comes to the work of prayer, including praying for public officials. We should be always at the ready to seek mercy from God so that policies might be drafted that would allow the Church to continue to increase in God’s shalom and for people to experience the full measure of dignity as the image-bearers of God.

Pray, Paul urged the men of Ephesus, that God’s people may live free and peaceable lives, without harassment or persecution. Pray that godliness and dignity may increase and that the Gospel may reach to the lost (v. 4). In these terms a wealth of public policy guidelines and provisions suggest themselves. We have begun to see in our day how public policies can subtly encroach on our precious religious freedoms. We want to strike back at public officials, when such policies are promulgated, with words of protest, warning, and even defiance. But we must begin to address such matters by speaking first to the Lord of the heart. He alone can change the minds of those He has appointed to serve in public office.

If we will not take our public-policy concerns to the Lord in prayer, we should not expect to know much success in the loci of public policy-making.

Our prayers for policy-makers can have powerful effects. But we need to believe this, and we need to be diligent in practicing prayer for public officials. Paul’s exhortation is not reserved for seasons of political campaigning or when some great issue is coming up for a vote. We must make such prayer a constant and continuous part of our own language of public policy, for unless we bring our requests to the throne of grace first, we may not expect to know the blessing of God on our endeavors.

Apart from prayer we have only our own wiles, proven methodologies and political strategies, marketing and polling and focus groups and the language of legalese to rely on in working to make changes in public policy. Let it be our practice to plead with the Lord continuously concerning the policies made by our government, that His will might be done on earth as it is in heaven.

We cannot expect God to bless any of our efforts to bring public policy more into line with the teaching of His Law unless the language we use to affect public policy is first of all and at all times the language of prayer. The Law of God lays the foundation for the good ends we seek in bringing the blessings of God to light through the public policies by which we are governed, and it is good to seek such policies first of all in prayer.

T. M. Moore

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