The king’s heart is in the LORD's hand,

.... like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes (Proverbs 21:1). The thought and desires, and therefore the actions of the king so often out of the reach of mortal man,  is not out of reach of the Lord.  He is able to direct his heart like “rivers of water.” The picture is of  husbandmen, that cut channels from rivers, to water their fields. It could even refer to the turning of the course of the  Euphrates river by Cyrus, when he took Babylon.  This is good news, because through prayer, we can influence rulers. Surely this is why Paul writes “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence (1 Timothy 2:1,  2). The prayerlessness of the church in this area, is also surly why our country is in such a mess. If the current situation will not wake us (me) up, I have to wonder what will!

Actually we are beginning to wake up. I was on part of an online solemn assembly (Joel 1:13, 14) yesterday,  interceding for Canada. I learnt there of the Canadian Fire Wall (canadianfirewall.ca). “It's a wall of intercessors and saints standing guard, keeping watch, and blowing the trumpet.” I keep coming back to 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” And I am feeling greatly challenged this morning.

But this morning's Proverb has also meant a lot to me in the past. We are kings and priests,  and I have taken this verse as motivation to pray for some of the “kings and queens” in my life, that the Lord will influence them for good. Many question whether God will overrule the will of others, but as above He calls us pray.  He can stop,  or short circuit,  wrong influences, and He can open the eyes of the spiritually blind and unstop their ears (Isaiah 35:5). In terms of family, He encourages us to make proclamations such as “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).  We believe when we come boldly into the presence of in the presence of “God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Romans 4:17).

Father, we come again this morning into Your presence thanking You that the prayer of the believer is powerful and effective (James 5:16b). Thank You too Lord that the hearts of those in authority and those we love,  is in Your hands,  so please  turn them and direct  and even bend them,  to the good.  Lord we desire that we  “may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” in our families, in our communities and in our land. Equip us Lord, equip me,  to be the intercessor You call us to be, so that we  may respond the way You want us to, to this morning's challenge. In Jesus Name Amen.