Saturday Sermon: Pray for ’em all

I was visiting with an old friend from Minnesota one night, after dinner, when he was in town to visit my wife and I. It has been a while since we’ve last seen and visited with one another. It was great to get all caught up with our respective lives.

As we continued our conversations into the night, we found ourselves engaged in political discussions – something that we’ve intentionally avoided in our many years of friendship. But that night, given all that’s going on in our country and world today, from the high price of gas, the war in Ukraine, and the shortage of baby formulas, we gave each other permission to talk politics for the first time. The discussions and the debates were heated at times. But after a while, with a deep sigh and a clear tone of disgust, my friend resolutely exclaimed, “Damn ‘em all!”

Shocked and surprised by his condemnation I quickly asked as to whom he was referring to. With a venomous spirit and a look that could kill, he lifted his bowed head and looked straight at me and declared, “All them Gd damn politicians and so-called “leaders” who got us into the mess we’re in.” And without missing a beat, he continued and said, “It’s gotten to the point that we don’t know who’s telling the truth and who to believe any more. So I say, damn ‘em all!”

As I listened to my old friend share his feelings and opinions on who he thinks are responsible for the state of our nation and the world around us, a portion from the greatest sermon ever preached came to mind and I couldn’t wait to share it with him. When he had calmed down and was ready to listen again, I reminded him of the portion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, from Matthew 5:44-45,

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.”

Upon recalling the passages and what our Lord Jesus instructed his followers to do to their enemies, my Minnesotan friend embarrassingly confessed, saying, “I know, I know, I should be praying for them all, not condemning them.”

In absolute agreement with my friend and his resolve, I offered to pray with him, right there and then. But he took my hands into his, and with tears welling up in his eyes, he said, “Let me do it! I need to do it!” So he took one deep breath, exhaled, and began crying out to God about all those “who got us in this mess.” Between holding back tears and the obvious sniffles from his runny nose, my friend, Dave, uttered one of the most beautiful prayers I have heard in a long time. As I listened in agreement with his prayer, I couldn’t help but think, “There’s no way that God could not hear or would ignore such a prayer.”

Well, how about you? When your “enemies” come at you at all sides, when the things around you seem to have gone a mock, and when hopelessness and despair seem to rule the day, what do you do?

Friend, I urge and encourage you to fight on your knees and pray to the One who “makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.” Go ahead and pray for ‘em all.

Rev. La Andriamihaja is senior pastor of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Victoria.