Connecting the Psalms with 2 Kings and the world today -
I have been reading Scripture a lot in the last few months. It has become my comfort as I have worked to feel at home or comfortable here in Peru in the midst of homesickness and frustration. It's become so much a part of me that last week when I didn't read for 3 days I was really cranky and mean to Spencer and those around me. It's amazing just how much it can impact and influence one's mood. But anyway... I've been reading the Pauline Epistles (shocker I know since I don't like Paul... that's another story for another day), Psalms and the accounts of the kings of Israel (I'm currently in 2 Kings). And yesterday (September 12) I read chapter 72 of Psalms and chapter 22 of Kings. And then I journaled some about the connections I saw between the two. So here is what I wrote... Just some things to think about.
Psalm 72 is a prayer that is hard to read and truly pray. It's a prayer for kings and national leaders. It's all about praying for protection, wisdom, guidance, blessing, etc. It is one that I find hard to pray knowing just how many world leaders are crooked, truly evil and not committed to God. It is one that I find hard to pray for my own president and national leaders. I know that we are told to pray for those in leadership positions because God has placed them there. But it's hard to pray for them when they seem to be so far from the Truth, so far from the purpose our nation was founded on. And it makes me not want to pray for them.
2 Kings just backs that up. Although chapter 22 (the story of how Josiah was righteous in the eyes of the LORD) does give hope. 2 Kings is chapter after chapter, king after king, stories of how the LORD's words were ignored and the people of Israel did what was evil in His eyes. And the kings led the way. As I have been reading, I have been marking every king that did evil in the eyes of the LORD and every king who did what was right. Let me tell you... the kings who did evil are the majority by a lot. It's incredibly heartbreaking to see just how many national leaders fall to the temptations of other nations, peoples and false religions. And it's something that's been happening since the day's of Solomon and continues even to this day.
I just don't understand how governments got so bad, so evil, so quickly. I know that it's a result of sin. But still. And now it's hard to pray for leaders because it seems to no make a difference at all. Seems being the key word. Obviously God moves and works in different ways. And it may just not be very visible. And that shouldn't stop me from praying for my national leaders (and really for national leaders in every country). My prayers are just a drop in the bucket of prayers that people are praying all over the world. And with more prayers and time, we may just see things completely turn around. Maybe the world will have a change of heart... like Judah did in the days of Josiah when the Book of the Law was found once again and read for the people to be reminded of who they were as God's chosen people. Maybe the world's leaders will realize how they are not leading or helping the people in a way that is pleasing to God. Maybe the world's leaders will come to realize that their power was given to them by the Ultimate Power, the GOD of the Universe, the true King. And maybe, just maybe, when that happens, Jesus will return and the new kingdom, the new heaven and new earth will be established with the rightful King on the eternal throne.
So today... as you say your prayers at meals or before bed or in your time of quiet with God (whenever you pray), just offer a prayer for the leaders of the world. The ones who seem to be doing a good job, those who aren't, those who don't know Christ, those who terrorize their people, those who hold to false gods, those who just have no idea who the King of Kings is. Pray for, respect and submit to them the way Paul encouraged us to in Romans 13. Then maybe we will see God move and change the world.
Psalm 72 is a prayer that is hard to read and truly pray. It's a prayer for kings and national leaders. It's all about praying for protection, wisdom, guidance, blessing, etc. It is one that I find hard to pray knowing just how many world leaders are crooked, truly evil and not committed to God. It is one that I find hard to pray for my own president and national leaders. I know that we are told to pray for those in leadership positions because God has placed them there. But it's hard to pray for them when they seem to be so far from the Truth, so far from the purpose our nation was founded on. And it makes me not want to pray for them.
2 Kings just backs that up. Although chapter 22 (the story of how Josiah was righteous in the eyes of the LORD) does give hope. 2 Kings is chapter after chapter, king after king, stories of how the LORD's words were ignored and the people of Israel did what was evil in His eyes. And the kings led the way. As I have been reading, I have been marking every king that did evil in the eyes of the LORD and every king who did what was right. Let me tell you... the kings who did evil are the majority by a lot. It's incredibly heartbreaking to see just how many national leaders fall to the temptations of other nations, peoples and false religions. And it's something that's been happening since the day's of Solomon and continues even to this day.
I just don't understand how governments got so bad, so evil, so quickly. I know that it's a result of sin. But still. And now it's hard to pray for leaders because it seems to no make a difference at all. Seems being the key word. Obviously God moves and works in different ways. And it may just not be very visible. And that shouldn't stop me from praying for my national leaders (and really for national leaders in every country). My prayers are just a drop in the bucket of prayers that people are praying all over the world. And with more prayers and time, we may just see things completely turn around. Maybe the world will have a change of heart... like Judah did in the days of Josiah when the Book of the Law was found once again and read for the people to be reminded of who they were as God's chosen people. Maybe the world's leaders will realize how they are not leading or helping the people in a way that is pleasing to God. Maybe the world's leaders will come to realize that their power was given to them by the Ultimate Power, the GOD of the Universe, the true King. And maybe, just maybe, when that happens, Jesus will return and the new kingdom, the new heaven and new earth will be established with the rightful King on the eternal throne.
So today... as you say your prayers at meals or before bed or in your time of quiet with God (whenever you pray), just offer a prayer for the leaders of the world. The ones who seem to be doing a good job, those who aren't, those who don't know Christ, those who terrorize their people, those who hold to false gods, those who just have no idea who the King of Kings is. Pray for, respect and submit to them the way Paul encouraged us to in Romans 13. Then maybe we will see God move and change the world.
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