"Election Day Prayer" - Thy Will Be Done

Today is Election Day.

Folks across the country will be going to polls to cast votes about the future of our nation, states, and communities. In Virginia and New Jersey, people are voting for their governor. In Colorado, citizens are addressing the issue of forming a new state. In many states, judicial elections are happening. There are exciting things happening. Election days are always exciting times—even on “off year” election cycles. They’re exciting, and they’re important as well.


For Christians, elections might seem like tricky matters. Some Christians believe faithful folks have no place casting votes or being involved in civic matters. Others see it as their civic duty to establish a “Christian” faithview as a framework for governance. Whatever the case, Christians have a voice at election time.

Wherever you come down on the issue, Christians who do participate in the civic processes of our government do well to engage in heartfelt, faithful a prayer throughout. A prayer that God’s will be done, be it through elections or other means. In praying this prayer, it’s paramount for us to remember that although we often mean well and act as faithfully as we can, our prayer that God’s will be done ultimately is directed at the Divine and might produce fruit we might not first expect.

The wise words of the Prophet Isaiah speak to the unexpected ways of God:

Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. -Isaiah 58:6-9, NRSV

Several months ago, I had the privilege to preach on the Lord’s prayer for a congregation in my home synod. The Spirit called me to preach about praying for God’s will at all times when we offer up our prayers:

Why do we pray? To plead for God’s will to be realized? Or is our prayer tinged with a blue or red hue, hoping God will swing the election the way I want or have the courts rule as I desire? Are we like Abraham, with our own sense of justice, when we come before God with our prayer? “Thy will be done” rises daily off the lips of countless Christian in prayer. If we believe God answers our prayers, why the discouragement when things don’t go as we’d hope? Is it possible, deep down, we’re not really praying “thy will be done,” but rather “thy will as I know it should be done?”

It’s easy for us to make our prayers about us—what we think is best for this country, for this world, for the Kingdom of God. It’s easy for us to think we’re guided by the Holy Spirit in our praying for particularities, whatever they may be. It’s easy for us put our faithful trust on an inwardly focused place, instead of in the outwardly focused place of God. But when we pray “thy will be done on earth as in heaven” we put our trust in Christ and not in our own holiness, and we seal it by faith, declaring the Kingdom, with all its glory and power, belong to God alone. That’s the kind of prayer Christians should be about before heading to the polls—and any other time they offer up pleas and thanksgiving to God.

In closing, I offer this prayer that I wrote for Election Day, for as St. James writes, “The prayer of the righteous one is strong and effective." ….

Almighty Father, ruler of highest heaven, we come before you today as our nation casts votes to decide a course of action for our future. Inspire the people of our nation by the power and wisdom of your Spirit, that we might act justly toward all people in concord with your divine will; through your Christ Jesus, Your holy Son and our Lord of lords and King of kings, who reigns together with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

-DS