The World Should Be Secondary

We are in the world but not of it

What happens in the world is important. As I write this the 2024 election is less than a week away. What happens on November 5 is important. But God is a sovereign God, and he is not going to be surprised by the outcome. He already knows the outcome! Does that mean that we should not pray for the elections? Certainly not! The Apostle Paul exhorts us to pray for our government officials, and I believe this means elections as well.

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior,” — 1 Timothy 2:1-3 NLT

The main focus of our prayers, however, should not be on what is happening in the election or the world. The main focus of our prayers should be on our personal communication and communion with God - how we are to grow in Christlikeness. Is this related to the world? Definitely! We are in the world. But we are not of the world. This means that the world must be secondary in our payers.

But there is a caveat of the world being secondary.

In your prayer time, God may direct you to serve him in the world in some capacity. He may call you to work with the unhoused, the abused, addicts, or even in some political capacity. God will also not be surprised when you step into serving him in that arena.

The issue is our starting point in prayer. We are to pray for the world and our involvement in the world, but we start with our communal relationship with God. When we do not, we make the things of the world our idols.