I love our great nation, even with all its flaws. I’m so thankful to live in the land of the free and home of the brave, and I’m grateful for all the leaders and men and women of the military who have gone before us and sacrificed so much to bring us to where we are as a nation.
Then Joseph brought in his father, Jacob, and presented him to Pharaoh. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh. “How old are you?” Pharaoh asked him. Jacob replied, “I have traveled this earth for 130 hard years. But my life has been short compared to the lives of my ancestors.” 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh again before leaving his court. (Genesis 47:7-9)
I find this scripture fascinating because in invoking a blessing, it is usually the greater one that blesses the lesser. In the natural here, Pharaoh is the one with power and position, yet we see Jacob is the one giving the blessing.
Speaking a blessing was a big deal in the Old Testament. Esau was supposed to receive the blessing, but Jacob tricked his dad to get it. (You can read about it here.) When Esau realized he was blessing-less, he was completely distressed. He pleaded with his dad three times, “Don’t you have any blessing left for me?”
To them, the blessing was a tangible thing the father passed down to the oldest son. It was substance even though they couldn’t see it with their eyes. A person did not speak the blessing lightly. Releasing the blessing transferred something real to the one who was blessed. It released life and power and abundance and prosperity.
I read that Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And then I asked myself, “Am I blessing my government, or am I waiting for my government to bless me?”
In our nation, our mentality is just a bit off. So many sit back wait for the government to bless them. We wring our hands in worry, watching the news and waiting for the government to bless us or to change to one that will. Or we throw up our hands in frustration over what’s happening and give up! What can we do?
My Bible doesn’t tell me I have to wait for the government to bless me. That’s God’s job. My Bible does tell me that I’m to bless my government.
That word bless means: To do or give something of value to another. I am to give my government something, and I mean something besides all those taxes I pay! I have something of value to give to my leaders in my prayer and blessing.
In the natural, our government officials are the ones who determine our laws and the direction of our country. The last time I checked though, the Bible says that they have no power that was not given to them by God. The Bible says that I serve the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. My Bible says that it’s My God who tears down rulers and raises up others.
When we stop waiting for our government to change and instead start supplying our government with wisdom and power from heaven through prayer, we will be blessing our government. And if we don’t, by default we hand it over to be powerless and without God.
So many people say, “They are just trying to remove God from everything in our nation,” – government, schools, our money. But God goes into my kids’ schools everyday because I pray. He goes into the government buildings every day because they can’t stop me from praying and when I pray God answers and moves.
The only way to remove God from our nation is if the Christians stop praying.
So let’s pray. Let’s commit to bless our leaders and our government and not just complain, worry, and get frustrated. Let’s release power and wisdom and life from heaven into the governments of this world. Let’s see what God can do when we pray for our leaders every day.
He doesn’t need a perfect situation to be able to move. He just needs prayer to respond to. Let’s give it to Him!
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, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. (I Timothy 2:1-4)