Now that Election Day is behind us, I’ll admit I was happy to see a Trump victory, because I believe it offers the best chance for our country to get back on track; I honestly feared for the direction we were heading with some of the policies of the outgoing administration. I pray our new President will surround himself with good people and godly counsel, and that newly elected senators and representatives both in Congress and at the state level will have courage to stand up for the values of the people who voted them there.
And I pray for “we, the people,” to keep praying just as hard after November 5 as we did leading up to it.
The outpouring of prayer connected with the 2024 election has reminded me in some ways of the spiritual awakening that occurred in September 2001. Following the devastating events of 9/11, there was a measurable uptick in church attendance; people were more outspoken about their faith; and more public prayers were prayed for our nation.
Sadly, over time, that diligence and commitment faded. The call to “humble ourselves and pray” in 2 Chronicles 7:14, quoted often right after 9/11, was heard less often as we all got busy with daily life. Although there have been ups and downs in spiritual support under different Presidential administrations since 2001, overall it seems that “tolerance” of unbiblical lifestyles has become mainstream and even crept into the church; and sanctity of life for the unborn has been increasingly under attack, just to name a couple of things. During the months leading up to the 2024 election, though, I’ve sensed a renewed spiritual commitment connected to the realization that something needs to be done. On election day, something WAS done, as many parts of the country voted in line with more conservative values.
Now, however, we must not sit back and relax. We must continue steadfast in prayer and diligent in spreading the gospel, fighting for biblical values, and renewing awareness of the faith roots that inspired the U.S. founding documents. We must hold leaders accountable.
I’m sure many join me in hoping for a different climate in our nation under a new administration. If that does happen, the enemy of our souls may have to find different sneaky tactics, but he won’t stop trying. The need for diligence is not new—Jesus warned his followers to watch out for false teaching; the Apostle Paul’s letters to Timothy echo the need to be vigilant about the impact of surrounding culture and false doctrine, using the metaphor of training for and successfully running a race. Galatians 6:9 tells us, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Many Bible scholars believe we are moving rapidly toward the end of the church age and the return of Jesus Christ; I hope and pray the election outcome creates an atmosphere for reaching even more people with the Gospel before that happens, to make that end-time harvest even greater. Don’t stop praying.
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