Raise more prayers for nation’s peace
We are in a brisk campaign phase of the 2016 Party Politics season. Political speeches dominate the media landscape. Analyses and responses to the political election campaign speeches, declarations, and presentations naturally attract varied reactions.
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Authentic Christian people need to continue to stand in the gap and raise unceasing prayers for the peace of mother Ghana before, during and after the December 7, 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.
It is both our religious and civic obligation. We should pray for speeches that build up and promote peace. Shouldn’t we call for speech etiquette on the public scene?
The Bible often sounds as fresh as the truthful reports in the morning newspaper on some political actors from the various political parties and public speeches:
“They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows. They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly. They encourage each other to do evil and plan how to set their traps in secret. “Who will ever notice?” they ask. As they plot their crimes, they say, “We have devised the perfect plan!” Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning. (Psalm 64:3-6,NLT)”
Thankfully, a Psalmist notes what the sovereign Lord God Almighty will do about these negativities:
But God himself will shoot them with his arrows, suddenly striking them down. Their own tongues will ruin them, and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn. Then everyone will be afraid; they will proclaim the mighty acts of God and realize all the amazing things he does. The godly will rejoice in the LORD and find shelter in him. And those who do what is right will praise him. (Psalm 64:7-10, NLT)
What a slid biblical basis to encourage us in intercessory prayer for God’s own divine intervention in our national politics too. Ghana must win. We should rejoice in the Lord our God and as a nation, experience the peace and blessings He bestows.
The Electoral Commission
• Pray to thank God for the brilliant address presentation of Mrs Charlotte Osei, Electoral Commissioner at the GJA 2016 Awards Ceremony. Pray that the GJA and all journalism practitioners will carefully reflect on her message and take specific actions to practice or live it out for the good of Ghana.
• Pray for the Electoral Commission (EC) to in wisdom, take careful steps in recruiting appropriate, reliable, and faithful personnel to work for the EC during the 2016 Elections – from the National EC office and collation centre to the remotest polling station! This is a huge task!! God be their helper!
• Pray for the continued smooth collaboration between the EC and Political Party Representatives throughout the 2016 Election Process.
• Pray for courage, fairness, vigilance, faithfulness to God and to the good people of Ghana by the EC Commissioner and her team throughout the 2016 Election process.
Presidential and Parliamentary Candidates
• The Presidential Candidates and other key political actors speak in a corner or on campaign platforms, and the media may selectively trumpet what has been said from the roof tops. We, therefore, pray for both the sanitization of the tongues and media airwaves.
• Pray for natural wisdom and speech etiquette and patriotism in the delivery and presentation of their partisan political messages. Pray that they will focus on issues on total national development and how they propose to build the nation to the next levels.
• Pray that aspiring Honourable MP’s will put up honourable conducts and good election process practices in their competition for political office.
The Media
The essential key roles of the Media is critical in disseminating messages of the Political Parties. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill says that a decision is as good as the information on which it is based. Pray for good, accurate, and professional reportage of Media practitioners. Pray that Media people will be controlled by Ghana must win mentality and serve as true agents of peace.
All of us are affected by the processes of this 2016 political season and their results. We believers in Jesus the Prince of Peace must continue to pray earnestly for the peace of our mother Ghana.
(The author is a Leadership Development and Cross-cultural Ministries Consultant, an International, conference speaker and formerly General Director / CEO of Scripture Union Ghana. Email: [email protected] / [email protected])
