Long ago, a man named Daniel faced a death sentence because the king of ancient Babylon had a dream that left him confused and upset. As soon as Daniel heard about the death sentence, he went home and consulted with his friends and asked them to “plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery” (Daniel 2:18).

Daniel asked the king for time to interpret the king’s dream. That night God gave the meaning to Daniel, and the next day he gave the king the meaning of the dream.

Paul reminds us in 1 Timothy how important it is to pray for our political and government leaders: so we may live peaceful and quiet lives.

What if it were against the law to share the gospel? What if we faced death every time we gathered for Bible study?

Our local, state, and federal leaders need our prayers for wisdom to make God-pleasing choices, as do our military and local law enforcement. Just like us, they often face temptations. All of us benefit when we pray for each other and for blessings of peace in our public square.

So pray for the president, the governor, the mayor, the generals, the commissioner, the representatives, and the sheriff. Pray for them all.