Today should be a National Day of Prayer for our country.  I know the National Day of Prayer is the first Thursday in May.  But it seems today, on the eve of this extremely contentious presidential election, would be a more appropriate and imperative day of prayer.  So today I am praying.

I have refrained from talking about this election in the blog.  I have very strong feelings about it but I am trying to keep the few friends I have.  There have been times when this election has made me – literally – sick to my stomach.  So instead of ranting about our choices, I am choosing to spend today in prayer.

I am praying for the voters as they go to the polls.  I am praying that they will make wise choices, not based on self-interest but based on what is best for our country.  I am praying that people will think beyond party lines and look at the people running for office.  I still believe character and integrity are important in our politicians.

I am praying that people will exercise their right to vote.  Because the Supreme Court in 2013 gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965, there are 868 fewer places to vote.  Most of the reductions are in places where minorities live and most of them are in the south.  In the primaries, people were standing in line for up to eight hours, some standing in line until midnight.  This is a horrible form of discrimination, reducing the desire of people to vote by making it extremely difficult.  I pray they will vote anyway.

I am praying that polling places will be free of intimidation.  Of course there are instances of voter fraud.  Of course there are mistakes.  We do not, however, have widespread election fraud as some have alleged.  Our elections may be rigged by lies and innuendo, but the elections themselves are as fair as elections can be.  There are so many wonderful polling place volunteers who work for a free and fair election.  I am praying for them too, as they face the uncertainty of tomorrow.

I am praying for the person who is elected President.  We need healing and reconciliation after this election.  Neither side should see the election results as a mandate for a particular agenda.  Many of us are choosing what we consider to be “the lesser of two evils.”

Finally, I am praying for our country after the election results come in tomorrow.  One of the hallmarks of American democracy has been the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to another.  We are admired throughout the world for that.  Any actions that run contrary to that are criminal.  I am praying that, no matter who wins the election, we will settle down, get back to work, and continue doing what we think is best.  After all, if we don’t like the result of the election, we will have an opportunity to change it in four more years.

One more thing:  something I need to remember.  Presidents come and go.  Congresses come and go.  God endures and is mightier than any government or force of evil.  Psalm 22:28 “For dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations.”