Prayer and Public Policy – The Law of God and Public Policy: The Good Society (7)

Prayer and Public Policy

The Law of God and Public Policy: The Good Society (7)

Prayer is our most effective public policy tool.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

The great mistake Christians have made over the previous generation, when it comes to matters of public policy, has been in thinking that public policy is, in the first instance, a political matter. We have augured for policies and politicians who will support our views and act accordingly, and, while there has been some progress in stalling the juggernaut of pragmatism and relativism, these are but fingers in the dike. Proponents of a progressivist worldview have become established in all the halls of government in our society, and in each of the major political parties, and they show no sign of backing away from their agenda.

But public policy is not first of all a matter of politics. Like everything else in life, the making of public policy is first and foremost a spiritual issue. This is so because it is happening “under the heavens,” that is, in a world created, owned, and upheld by the Word of God, a world He has reconciled to His Father, and in which He is advancing His Kingdom for the purpose of making all things new.

We will make the greatest headway in affecting the public policies of our nation when we ground and pursue our work in this arena first of all in prayer. Paul says it is not by politics that we may hope to achieve a just and good society; this can only be achieved when men everywhere lift up holy hands of prayer to the Lord (v. 8). Prayer is the means by which we may expect God to show us great things and mysteries we’ve never seen before (Jer. 33:3). Through repentance and prayer we may hope that the Lord will begin to heal our land (2 Chron. 7:14). Only by praying without ceasing, with brothers and sisters from many congregations and communions, continually and fervently, and with a focus on public policy and the coming of Christ’s Kingdom—only by thus praying can Christians truly hope to achieve the just and good society they seek.

But it seems clear today that we do not believe in such prayer. Where in your church, for example, do people pray in this way? When have you heard such prayers from the pulpit on Sunday morning? How often do prayers for such matters as we are concerned about in this series fill your own pleadings before the Lord?

We must repent of our unbelief and take up the work of prayer with greater devotion and dedication. We shall not be able to realize progress in Christ’s Kingdom, or in returning our nation to a greater experience of justice and goodness, apart from prayer.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore, editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.