“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” (1 Peter 2:13-17, ESV)

Heavenly Father, the headlines today read:

“GINGRICH: Obama ‘most radical president ever’…

LIMBAUGH: Obama ‘inflicting untold damage on this great country’…

PALIN: Obama’s Nuke Stance Like Kid Who Says ‘Punch Me in Face’…

LIZ CHENEY: Obama Putting America on ‘Path to Decline’…

HANNITY: Obama ‘Is a Socialist’…

MARK LEVIN: Civil disobedience is coming…

SAVAGE: ‘Obama The Destroyer’…”‘”

– but I see few people “honoring” President Obama according to your Word. Forgive us.

Father, you know I have little or no accord with the President’s philosophies, policies or outlooks as I know them. But he is the one who occupies the highest office in the governmental structure under which I live – and in your kind providence, the one which we enjoy in this country. And as such, I want to honor him today. I want to do so by beseeching you on his behalf. He bears the weight of this great nation, and its role in the world upon his shoulders. He needs wisdom Father. He needs both the light and the desire to act in accordance with your truth, and the courage to do so. I have no sense of his spiritual state before you except that he makes no profession of saving faith in Jesus Christ as we understand it. I pray then above all else for his soul. That he will come to the end of his fallen condition, and cry out to you for mercy and forgiveness – and that because of the blood of Christ shed for human sin – you will forgive and save him. That he will be born again, and that Jesus Christ will be Lord of his life. I pray that you will surround him with wise advisers, and give him keen insight to the needs of this nation. That under his administration the Gospel will prosper and we will live in peace for the furtherance of the kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth.

Bless President Obama Father – he is our President. And we want him to both be supremely blessed in salvation, as well as rule as your Word says in 2 Samuel 23:3-4 – “The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth.”

Save his family and keep them loving and intact. Keep him pure from sin and withhold his hand from unjust, unwise or otherwise detrimental decisions and polices. Give him the physical and emotional stamina he needs. Use him for your glory in this generation for as long as it is wise in your eyes to keep him in office.

Teach our hears to honor him according to your Word. And we ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ your only begotten son, and our Lord. Amen.