Two nights in a row, I've been awakened during the night with a burden. Monday night I just woke up sickened and grieved at the fact that 85-90% of pregnancies in which the baby is diagnosed with Down Syndrome end in abortion. Think about that. For every child you see with DS, 9 more were never born. I had a rock in the pit of my stomach over that one.
Then last night after watching the debate I woke up during the night and found myself praying about the presidential election. Sensing a spiritual battle involved, I was crying out to God to give me a Scripture to pray over the next month. This morning He answered that prayer, leading me first to Isa. and then to Isa. 1:16-20, 23-27. I am posting this to share with you and ask you to consider praying this passage with me.
Isa. 1:16-27
1:16 Wash! Cleanse yourselves!
Remove your sinful deeds
from my sight.
Stop sinning!
1:17 Learn to do what is right!
Promote justice!
Give the oppressed reason to celebrate!
Take up the cause of the orphan!
Defend the rights of the widow!
1:18 Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord.
“Though your sins have stained you like the color red,
you can become white like snow;
though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet,
you can become white like wool.
1:19 If you have a willing attitude and obey,
then you will again eat the good crops of the land.
1:20 But if you refuse and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”
Know for certain that the Lord has spoken.
Purifying Judgment
1:21 How tragic that the once-faithful city
has become a prostitute!
She was once a center of justice,
fairness resided in her,
but now only murderers.
1:22 Your silver has become scum,
your beer is diluted with water.
1:23 Your officials are rebels,
they associate with thieves.
All of them love bribery,
and look for payoffs.
They do not take up the cause of the orphan,
or defend the rights of the widow.
1:24 Therefore, the sovereign Lord who commands armies,
the powerful ruler of Israel, says this:
“Ah, I will seek vengeance against my adversaries,
I will take revenge against my enemies.
1:25 I will attack you;
I will purify your metal with flux.
I will remove all your slag.
1:26 I will reestablish honest judges as in former times,
wise advisers as in earlier days.
Then you will be called, ‘The Just City,
Faithful Town.’”
1:27 Zion will be freed by justice,
and her returnees by righteousness.
I must admit this wasn't quite what I was expecting. God basically let me see the spiritual battle isn't as much about the election as about the soul of our country - particularly the church. So the answer isn't the right outcome in an election - the answer is revival. Thus I will be praying the following:
For the church, starting with myself (vv. 16-20, verses that follow God listing spiritual grievances He has against them)
* Purification
* Repentance
* Righteousness
* Promotion of justice, not self-interest ("the least, the last, and the lost", as one of you wrote in a newsletter recently)
* Redemption
* Willful obedience
For our nation (vv. 23-27)
*Return to our ideals of justice and the rule of law, based on our constitution, as opposed to social injustice and legal corruption
* Leaders/officials who grasp their responsibility and seek peace ("wholeness") over personal gain
* That God would come against those He deems are His enemies - whoever they are
* That He will re-establish honest judges and wise advisers
* That our nation will be freed by justice and righteousness, not our own efforts or any political leader
Let me clarify something: I don't think the US is "Zion", nor have we ever been a theocracy. But God is Just and Righteous today just as He was then. In Scripture He consistently criticizes those who fail to uphold principles consistent with justice and righteousness, who fail to realize that governments are established by Him for the benefit of the people not the rulers. This post isn't about a specific outcome in the election or a specific theology of the US. It's really not about politics at all - it's about revival.
Would you pray with me then - and trust Him to hear?
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