Pray for God's will in the world

James 4:1-3 (NLT)
1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

James writes the Jewish Christians to reprove them for the fights taking place among them. The Jews were a very seditious group and had frequent wars with the Romans. They were a very quarrelsome divided people, often fighting among themselves; and many of the corrupt Christians. James informs them that the origin of their wars and fighting was not (as they pretended) a true zeal for their country, and for the honor of God, but that the cause was their prevailing lusts.

 

I’m going to apply James writing to American politics. In the United States of America, We the People, are called Americans. But it seems Americans at times forget where they come from. They forget this country was built together by people struggling for a common cause. They forget in times of war people have put aside differences to fight alongside of each other.

When it’s election time we see groups turning against each other. There is name calling that takes place. Lies begin to be told. Groups strategize how they might quiet the voices of groups they oppose. In some cases even states are opposing states. Let’s just say politics as we know it becomes a fight, almost a battle about who is going to win.

We all need to remember as Americans we should want the betterment of our country. We should be willing to give up some of our jealous motives to see a better country. We should be willing to work together instead of fighting and quarreling. Yet, just like the Christians James wrote to above we seem to have a problem. Most often the problem is because of the things we want and not what is for everyone’s benefit.

As the elections approach pray for our country. Pray that We the People, Americans, work together for a common cause. Pray we have leadership that guides us not from their jealous desires, but for the desire of others. Pray for peace and calmness. May God continue to bless our country and help it through the difficult times we face.

I know there are other countries too that face similar problems may we all pray together as one people that God’s will is accomplished throughout the world.