This material was first published by Redemptorist Publications
and is included here with their permission.

1 Timothy 2.1-7

Your Kingdom come

Kings and queens, presidents and prime ministers, senators and members of parliaments, oppressors and tyrants, fanatics and self-appointed dictators.

We are praying for you all because what you say and do affects our lives each day for better or for worse.  We need peace and security in our homelands.  We need freedom and stability in our towns and cities.  We need economies and markets that will support us in working for our families’ livelihoods.  We need education and opportunities for our young people so that they can look to their future with confidence.  We need to be free of the fear of prejudice and intolerance because of our nationality our colour or our faith.  We need to be able to be ourselves, beloved children of God, just as you are.

To those of you who truly work for the good of all people, thank you and may God bless you in your exercise of authority and power.

To those of you who have only self-interest in your hearts, think again.  God desires your salvation.  He wants you to know the truth about his Kingdom in which humility and service go hand in hand with Kingship and where the King’s hands and feet are scarred by nails.

Let his kingdom come and his will be done in the places where you have the power to make a difference.

Prayer:    Lord Jesus, we pray for kings and all who are in high positions.  We pray that in their exercise of power they will be mindful of the needs of all people and always work for peace and reconciliation in your world.  Amen