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It seems proper to me today to pray for this nation. (The United States, that is, if I am lucky enough to have overseas readers, which I apparently do. Thank you, Tim.) We’re picking a president, even today, in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. One of these four people will be our next president (Sen. McCain, Sen. Clinton, Sen. Obama, or Gov. Huckabee) and, to put it mildly, they’ll need all the help they can get. Pray this with me:

Heavenly Father, we know that you already know who our next president will be. We humbly ask that you equip that person with everything they need to lead us. Grant them wisdom, patience, and love to carry out this high calling. Bless every one of the candidates to finish well, and give them grace and graciousness to accept the outcome of the contests, in victory or defeat.

We ask you to bless in a special way Mrs. Edwards, and Mrs. Romney, who deal with illness and affliction. Give them a knowledge of your true presence there with them.

May you forgive the candidates their sins, and their sins against one another. May you grant faith and repentance to the ones who do not know you in truth, and faith and repentance to your disciples among them, that they may abide in you, and you in them.

Forgive me for failing to pray for all our leaders as I ought, and grant, by your Holy Spirit, the reminder to do so.

While our nation holds such a prominent place of influence, we ask for your special wisdom, that our leaders might think of justice, love, and mercy for all people, not only for us.

We pray that we would be united in love to our brothers and sisters in other lands; that our allegiance would be to them, and to your Church, over and above our loyalty to the United States, even as we love her and are thankful for our country.

We pray for the visible and spiritual unity of your Church; rid us of schism and heresy, bring us back together, as we were in the beginning. Thank you Jesus, for dying for us when we were your enemies. Teach us to follow you and you alone, and to lead others to do the same.

In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

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