Common Biblical Ground

Let me start out by saying that what follows is not a political post. I don't want anyone to see the word election and run off on me :) As the title indicates, this is a post about how we all can perhaps find common ground following yesterday's elections and the ones to come.


As I woke up this morning to the news of which candidates had won election to which offices I had mixed feelings. Some results I was happy about and others were a little more concerning. Perhaps you have had a similar experience. In the midst of my ups and downs God brought a couple of verses to mind which reminded me of a crucial truth. God has given me instructions on how to handle myself regardless of the political climate or my own leadership preferences and opinions. It is a place where I think all might be able to find common ground -and perhaps holy ground as well.


First, God has told us to pray for our leaders and even to be thankful: 

   1Timothy 2:1-3 “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession   

         and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- 2 for kings and all those in  

         authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and 

         holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,..."

I admit it is easier for me to be thankful and pray for some leaders than others; but perhaps

that only shows how much I have yet to grow in God's grace and love. God has the capacity 

to make saints of anyone (I am living proof in process). So why should I pray for someone 

grudgingly? I have to admit my first thought when God showed this to me this morning 

went something like this. "Yes God, but isn't it counterproductive to support leaders who 

might be leading us down wrong paths?" I should have learned by now not to try and dodge 

God's lessons for me or rationalize my own preferences. In reply, God called to my mind the 

words he gave the prophet Jeremiah to speak to the exiles in Babylon:

     Jeremiah 29:4-7 - “ This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says
           to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 "Build 

           houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6   

           Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give  

           your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and  

           daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the  

           peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.  

           Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." 

If anyone one had a reason to rebel against leadership, it was the exiles in Babylon. These
were people from Judah who had been attacked, defeated and taken captive by the
Babylonians. Now they were exiles in a foreign land ruled by leaders who had taken them
from their homeland and burned their houses. On top of this, they followed pagan gods and
not the one true God. Surely God wouldn't expect them to pray for those leaders or to submit to their rule. And in things that would have required them to go against God that assessment was probably true. We must obey God rather than human leaders when there is a conflict between the two. However, in the normal matters of everyday life, they were to settle down and seek the prosperity of the place where they had been planted.

To seek the prosperity of our neighborhoods, cities, states and nation; to pray for our leaders
that God will reveal Himself to them, guide them, grow them, and help them lead in ways
that honor and follow Him -surely this is common ground we can all stand on. Or perhaps
even better -kneel on! Blessings'