Praying for the Economy

If political pundits and economics experts are right in their assessments of reality, the economy has been and will be a major concern for the next few years.  In James 5:16-20, we learn that Christians are to pray at all times and in all circumstances.  In times of blessing, we praise and in time crisis, we intercede.

As part of my present daily devotion discipline, I pray the Lord’s Prayer. I use it to guide my praise, petitions, and intercessions. I write out both the words of the Lord’s Prayer and my prayer. One day recently I prayed, “May your will be done in the economy of this world as it would be done in heaven.” As I reflected on that, I wondered if God’s will were to be done on earth would I have more or would I have less. I had always assumed if God was at work in our economy, all of us would have more. But if I had more, would my character and conduct be more like the person I will be in heaven than I am now? It is not what I have that determines my character, but my attitude toward what I have. Would my attitude be better if I had less? I didn’t like to think about that question. Praying for the economy may be more complicated than we think. 

Here is how I am praying:

• First: I am praying for wisdom for our political and business leaders in order that they may be directed by God’s guidance rather than being directed by either their or our greed.

• Second: I am praying that the present crisis and the end result will help every Christian to use their resources for the glory of God and good of humanity.

• Third: I am praying that God will direct my own economy in that I will use whatever I have for the purposes of the kingdom of God.

• Fourth: I am praying that I will be governed by neither fear nor greed but by grace. If my life is governed by fear, I automatically assume that if I have less my life will be worse. If I am governed by greed, I will assume that my life will be better if I have more. If I am governed by grace, I am grateful for what I have; and, I am committed to using what I have as a way of expressing my gratitude to God for what has He given me.

You may be asking, “Should be we be praying for the economy at all?” Allow me to answer that for you. Absolutely! Jesus taught us to pray for our daily bread. The economy does impact all people rich and poor. Often, the poor suffer the worst in economic decline. God came in flesh and lived in this world. Jesus was a carpenter. Jesus led a group of men who were commercial fisherman. The Apostle Paul was a tentmaker. They were all players in the economy.

We are to pray for this world but with spiritual sense rather than just with an interest in the dollars and cents. We pray that the rule of God may be known now on earth as it will be fully known in heaven.

If you are not presently praying for the economy, start now!