Capital Prayer Alert 
 

If this is the end of January, it must be the State of the Union address week. There is predictability to the political calendar. We are in the period when the president gets the attention of the media for the buildup to the speech, followed by the speech itself and then endless analysis for days afterwards. 

That is followed by a session of Congress in which every vote will be cast with an eye on the November election. Add to the mix the fact that a number of senior members of Congress have announced their retirements and you get a real feel for the importance of the months ahead. 

The results of this year's mid-term elections could leave President Obama limping through his last two years in office while the political class turns its collective attention from the president to the 2016 horse race. Or, it could give his agenda an infusion of energy if the Senate remains in Democrat hands. 

The president is not on the ballot. But all House of Representatives seats and 36 Senate seats are, so you would think the president would use the State of the Union address to repair frayed relations on Capitol Hill. 

Instead, internal White House documents cleverly released to the press indicate the president plans to go to the joint session of Congress to announce that he is not necessarily looking for congressional action and fully intends to go it alone on his agenda. He will wield any and all executive branch authority . . . and then some. Clearly, he's looking out for his legacy and recognizes that the clock is ticking. 

Please pray for our country in these uncertain times when the balance of power among the three branches of government is being tested and found wanting. Ask God to prompt men and women of faith who serve in an elected capacity, or in the judiciary, to remember the oath of office they took and to be vocal and effective in public discussions and actions which uphold their commitment to the Constitution. Ask our Heavenly Father to raise up leaders like Daniel, whose dependence on God did not waver whether in youth or in old age, whether in the courts of power or not. His steadfastness served as a beacon that drew kings to seek the wisdom he embodied. 

Where does this leave us? The critical mid-term elections will determine the narrative in the two years leading up to the 2016 presidential contest. Will it be conservatives on the rise articulating a blueprint of smaller, less intrusive government, lower taxes, less regulation, a strong and coherent foreign policy? 

Which candidates will give a winning defense of moral and cultural issues such as the sanctity of life and traditional marriage? These issues animate the conservative base to get involved and strike a positive note with independents, who increasingly believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. 

Is it possible to jumpstart a serious conversation among the American people about where the country is headed and what can and cannot work for the long haul? How is that done in a society immersed in the cult of celebrity with a short attention span and little stomach for tough decisions and frank talk? 

How do we reach those in the millennial generation who have graduated college with fewer career opportunities and dashed hopes for their future? How do we counter accusations that a life of faith and belief is not hate-filled and small-minded? 

Ask our Heavenly Father to guide those who are running for office and are men and women of faith. Pray that they will seek the wisdom of the Lord as they weigh their current roles and ponder any decisions to run for higher office. Ask God to impart a desire to tackle bigger issues through actions and words that are both serious and lively and so startle the disengaged into listening and thoughtful evaluation. 

Ask God to touch the hearts of faith leaders so that they would speak to how we are to live out our faith in a culture that is increasingly hostile to the values we cherish. Strengthen our resolve to be influential in our families and faith community and to be willing vessels who will influence the influential. 

Thank you for your prayers for Gary and his work here in Washington to further our shared beliefs in a political and media climate that demands ingenuity, political smarts and wisdom.