I prayed for Donald Trump, because Franklin Graham asked us to*
Yesterday on Facebook Franklin Graham asked us to pray for Donald Trump. He didn’t specify what we should pray for, or about, so I came up with my own prayer.

Dear Lord, Heavenly Father, Earthly Mother, Creator:
Good Lord, things are hard these days. The world is in trouble, as you are well aware.
First though, let me say that I know you do not intervene in American politics, nor in the politics of any other country. You don’t care about borders, you care about people. “God Blessing America” is not your function.
But I do know that you give guidance and support and comfort to our leaders, just like you do for regular people like me. When President Obama gave the eulogy for Rev. Pinckney, killed in Charleston, and he sang “Amazing Grace” to the mourners, to all of us really, I’m certain that you were helping and supporting him in that very difficult moment when he himself was grieving, and when he also was trying to bring comfort to those in the church, and to our nation.
And I’m sure you gave guidance and help to President Bush when it was his job to unify the country after the 9/11 attacks and when he urged us to come together as a country, and to refrain from spreading hatred for Muslims which some (like Donald Trump even) had been doing.
Since Donald Trump has said that he is a man of faith, I have to take him at his word, ironic as that is, and presume that he also looks to you for guidance. While you, God, may not intervene in the politics of America, just like you do not intervene when I’m looking for a parking space or deciding what to have for dinner, maybe you can still help this dire situation we find ourselves in. Perhaps you can use people like Franklin Graham to help him, since they seem to be well-acquainted, or Paula White, Trump’s spiritual adviser who is now employed at the White House. Perhaps they can schedule a “Come to Jesus” meeting with him.
The earth is suffering from climate change because we have not been good stewards of the land that you gave us, and we are doing little about it. Children you love, and who you have instructed us to love, have been separated from their parents through cruel government policies. I’m sure your heart is broken at the sight of this. People are dying because they cannot get the medical care they need. People are living in poverty while rich people get richer. No doubt you have noticed the suffering, since you are all-knowing.
So when Donald Trump says his prayers at night, after he has turned off Fox TV and his phone, I ask you, Good Lord, for these things:
Somehow can you remind him of the greatest commandment? “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” and “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” We know that he loves himself, could you help him love his neighbors too?
Help him to see that lying is wrong. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor” is the ninth Commandment. I don’t need to tell you that, but he needs a reminder because the constant tallies of his lies in the Washington Post don’t seem to be getting through.
Help him to see when he looks in the mirror that he’s an old man with few years left, and it would be to his benefit, for the sake of his soul, to spend his remaining years in recollection and reconciliation.
Help him to have the courage to resign, so the country and the people in it can begin to heal.
Help him to know that there is no shame in resigning, because God’s grace, your grace, will help him through whatever consequences befall him. Just like you give strength to all of us when we are struggling, you will give strength to him too, if he leans on you.
And this is very specific, too specific for a prayer really, but maybe can you appear to him in a dream or something, and send him a message to: 1) get off Twitter, out of respect for all Americans who are exhausted by his bad habit; and 2) let the Democrats do their job. After all, he swore to uphold the Constitution. If he isn’t upholding the Constitution, isn’t that another lie he told when he took the oath (back to the 9th commandment)?
Sorry Lord, that last one was a tangent.
Help him to see that resigning would be the ultimate act of love at this moment in time, and that he will be forgiven (at least by you if not by the country) for his sins (as long as he asks for forgiveness, I think that’s how it works). And of course being forgiven by you is not the same as being free from prosecution or consequences, just to be clear.
I have to confess, though, that my own faith is not strong enough to believe that these things will happen, or that he is capable of changing, but I do appreciate you listening, as you always do.
Thank you and Amen.
@franklingraham — Like you asked, I’m praying for Donald Trump
*I am not a follower of Franklin Graham, nor of Donald Trump, and I am not a theologian or a minister, but neither are most of Franklin Graham’s followers. I get to pray like everyone else.