I empathize with wondering how to pray for him. I agree that prayer is a meaningful and energetic contribution.
However, the idea that you and I were both taught that God is king of the world, and that he sets up rulers and removes them is the view of some of the authors of scripture, especially those focused on a Jewish kingdom that was a physical reality. I don’t believe that the kingdom of God of which Jesus spoke functions in that same way. In fact, I think it is the antithesis of it.
I don’t view prayer as a means of summoning a Deus Ex Machina. Rather, I see it as aligning my thoughts and emotion and vision and focus in a way consistent with the values that I cling to that Jesus taught (as well as many other teachers over the millennia). I think there is an energetic function to that when my focus is on that which is consistent with the will of the creator and the design of the creator.
I don’t expect any of that will persuade you otherwise and it’s not my intent to do so. I guess I’m just letting you know that there are other perspectives out there about some of these things. And also that I appreciate the tension you feel and I respect your desire to do something meaningful and helpful.
We need more articles like this. No matter how much we may disagree or dislike our leaders, our faith still demands that we pray for them. Ever since I became more devout in my mid-twenties, I have (almost) regularly prayed for Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden during their administrations, despite the fact I consider all of them to be bad presidents. They are still loved by God just as much as everyone else. May we all be steadfast in our prayers.
I empathize with wondering how to pray for him. I agree that prayer is a meaningful and energetic contribution.
However, the idea that you and I were both taught that God is king of the world, and that he sets up rulers and removes them is the view of some of the authors of scripture, especially those focused on a Jewish kingdom that was a physical reality. I don’t believe that the kingdom of God of which Jesus spoke functions in that same way. In fact, I think it is the antithesis of it.
I don’t view prayer as a means of summoning a Deus Ex Machina. Rather, I see it as aligning my thoughts and emotion and vision and focus in a way consistent with the values that I cling to that Jesus taught (as well as many other teachers over the millennia). I think there is an energetic function to that when my focus is on that which is consistent with the will of the creator and the design of the creator.
I don’t expect any of that will persuade you otherwise and it’s not my intent to do so. I guess I’m just letting you know that there are other perspectives out there about some of these things. And also that I appreciate the tension you feel and I respect your desire to do something meaningful and helpful.
We need more articles like this. No matter how much we may disagree or dislike our leaders, our faith still demands that we pray for them. Ever since I became more devout in my mid-twenties, I have (almost) regularly prayed for Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden during their administrations, despite the fact I consider all of them to be bad presidents. They are still loved by God just as much as everyone else. May we all be steadfast in our prayers.