Wisdom – The Most Impressive Prayer Ever Prayed: Day 17
Intention
To ask God for wisdom to distinguish what’s true and good from what is false and evil, so that we can righteously participate in the governance of our nation.
Scripture
“‘Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in my father David’s place, even though I am only a young man and am inexperienced. Your servant stands among your chosen people; they are a great nation that is too numerous to count or number.
“‘So give your servant a discerning mind so he can make judicial decisions for your people and distinguish right from wrong. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.’
“The Lord was pleased that Solomon made this request.”
– 1 Kings 3:7–10
Reflection
Before I was old enough to vote or consider applying this verse to the heavenly citizen’s role in democratic governments, I remember noting how impressed God was with Solomon’s request for wisdom.
I wanted to please God with the same sincere prayer.
I’ve noted more recently that King Solomon wasn’t merely asking for general wisdom for life. He was specifically seeking wisdom for his role in ensuring righteous governance for the nation.
As citizens in a democracy (a nation ruled by the majority of voting people), we, too, have a part in the governance of our nation. This should be approached as an awesome responsibility entirely dependent on God’s guidance to distinguish what is right and good from what is wrong and evil.
Specialising in Christian voter education, I have the opportunity to meet countless Christians who feel overwhelmed by the difficulty of understanding the intricacies of our political system, how preferences work and how positive change is achieved.
What encouragement for us all to know Solomon completely related to that feeling! In the original Hebrew, 20-year-old Solomon described to God that he felt like a boy who didn’t know where to come in or out.
The globally renowned King Solomon humbly relied on the wisdom of Almighty God to judge right from wrong for his nation.
Following Solomon’s example, how much more should Christians with the heavy responsibility of voting take seriously the wisdom God offers?
How much more diligently should pulpits preach about political issues from the wisdom God has already published in His Word?
I do not doubt that the vast majority of Bible-believing Christians don’t want just to be told which politicians they should vote for by any pulpit. Yet, they still crave scriptural instruction on the Bible’s authority and wisdom about the issues being debated (or neglected) in society.
Respected Swiss theologian Karl Barth said, “Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.”
The Word of God made alive by God’s Spirit of wisdom (Isaiah 11:2) gives Christian voters the ability to discern which issues to prioritise. The same Word and Spirit of God enable us to know what’s true and good in a society constantly debating and regulating justice, morality, and truth.
Video
Prayer
Almighty God, You have given Your servant the right to influence the laws, justice and welfare of this great nation where You have sovereignly placed me, even though I am overwhelmed by my own inexperience and the awesome responsibility of democracy.
So, give me an understanding heart and discerning mind so I can make political judgements and decisions for this great nation once forged in humble reliance on Your blessing. Without Your wisdom, Almighty God, no one is able to make political decisions for Australia.
Amen.
Author Bio
Dave Pellowe is a Christian political educator and writer who gives priority of philosophy to God’s Word. He founded Church and State Ministries in 2016, which has grown to include annual teaching conferences in Canberra, Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and regional Australia by invitation. His blog and newsletter, The Good Sauce, features frequent articles by leading thinkers about debated issues and hundreds of his own.
Prayer Points and Purpose for Turn the Tide 2025
1. A righteous government that upholds truth and Christian values. 1 Timothy 2:1–4
2. Wisdom for voters to perceive the true agenda of political parties. Proverbs 14:15
3. A church that disciples the nation in this window of grace. Matthew 28:18–20
We invite you to support this prayer campaign to multiply prayer in Australia for the 2025 federal election. Every donation to the Canberra Declaration helps us promote prayer and make a stand for family, faith, freedom, life, and the good news of God’s love through Jesus Christ, His Son.
Join us for our nightly Zoom prayer call:
DATES: Every night from Sunday, 13 April to Saturday, 3 May
TIME: 8 PM (AEST), 7:30 PM (SA & NT), 6 PM (WA)
ZOOM URL LINK: zoom.us/j/776881184
ZOOM TUTORIAL: youtube.com/watch?v=pAMDxH_H_Cs
View Turn the Tide: 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting Devotionals
___
Photo via Adobe.
Recent Articles:
17 July 2026
15.2 MINS
The Church is wimpy, and it's destroying the nation. That's the blunt assessment of Rev. Chris Wickland, a UK clergyman who refuses to soften the gospel for perceived cultural acceptance. And he has a point. From the rise of "woke" institutional Christianity to the abdication of prophetic witness, the modern Church has traded its backbone for a desperate attempt to attain a disappearing seat at the table.
17 July 2026
4.5 MINS
Landlords have shut the door on the LGBTQ+ desecration of a former Sydney Catholic Church and theatre named after saints.
17 July 2026
2.2 MINS
Jillian Spencer, a Queensland psychiatrist suspended for questioning childhood gender treatments, has been cleared by AHPRA, as her hospital prepares to release its own statement.
17 July 2026
4 MINS
In a sign of the continuing breakdown of religious freedom in Europe, Finnish parliament member Päivi Räsänen was banned by the U.K. from traveling to Heathrow Airport for a planned layover due to her Finnish Supreme Court conviction in March for authoring a pamphlet containing supposed “hate speech” toward those who identify as LGBT.
17 July 2026
2.9 MINS
Questions on the environment produced the most lopsided results of any category tested, with every single model favouring climate concerns over growth. Removing one model’s “safety” layer moved its religion score from secular-leaning to neutral.
17 July 2026
4.7 MINS
As tensions between America and Iran escalate, foreign policy experts urge discernment in distinguishing between regimes that keep their word and those — like Tehran — that operate through deception and aggression, a lesson as old as Scripture itself.
16 July 2026
5 MINS
We're told that progressive politics equals compassion, inclusion and kindness. But shocking reactions to Ann Widdecombe's murder — celebrating her death and hoping she died in extreme pain — reveal the socialist left's blatant 'hate speech' hypocrisy and disturbing double standards of the highest degree.
