Praying for Your Football Team

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Romans 13:1


According to this verse, every position of power in every country in every age was established by God. I don’t believe that God endorsed the evil of Adolf Hitler, Vladimir Lenin, or Saddam Hussein, but God did establish the authority.


Think about it: in the time of Esther, the Israelites were under the authority and control of the Persians. They had disobeyed God by worshipping false idols. Their punishment was to see their nation fall and to forcibly join the company of other idol worshippers. Sometimes the thing that we think we want is the worst thing that can happen to us.


Most of us have not lived in a dictatorship or in captivity. We have a hard enough time with the opposing political party comes into power, let alone, being ruled by a tyrant.


But, if this verse is true, then why would God put an ungodly person in office to perform His will? That’s a big question. The belief in a democracy is that the collective will of the people expresses the will of God. But, let’s be honest, praying for your political candidate to win is much like praying for your football team to win while the opposing team prays for theirs. If God answered all of those prayers, it would make for some pretty strange championships.


This doesn’t mean that we need to accept whatever decisions someone in power makes carte blanche. Why did God put them there? Did He put them there to wake us up, as in the case of the Israelites in Persia?


Lastly, regardless of whether we agree or disagree with those in power, as believers we should be respectful and civil in our thoughts and deeds toward others. This world is destined for ultimate recycling (Revelation 21:1). But, God’s Kingdom lasts forever. Winning someone over to your political views is not nearly as important as winning someone for the Lord.


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