21st.: Leaders Must Pray
At Saul’s inauguration as king, Samuel said,
“Moreover, as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord,
in ceasing to pray for you.” (1st Sam. 12:23).
Leaders must steadfastly pray for those under them. For example:
1. Fathers must pray for their families,
2. Bishops/pastors/elders/lay leaders, for those who attend the congregation, where they hold office.
3. Government officials, who know the Lord, for the geopolitical unit that they govern, etc.
The Old Testament shares several times where the pleading of the leader was the only action
that stopped God from bringing judgement upon a group of people.
For example.
“’And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. Therefore, have I poured out mine indignation upon them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. Their own way have I recompensed upon their heads,’ says the Lord.” (Eze. 22:30-31).
It is a good thing to turn God’s wrath away from the people. Those in leadership automatically have this ‘stand in the gap’ responsibility. If you have this responsibility, what are you going to do about it?
“Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17)