Groaning Under the Burden – The Presidential Prayer Team

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. – 1 Timothy 4:4

In the beginning, God said, “Let there be…” and there was light, Heaven and Earth, the sun moon and stars, vegetation, and creatures in the sea, in the air, and on land. He created man and woman in His image. And God declared that it was all good… not just good, but very good (Genesis 1).

God made a covenant with Israel that included laws intended to give direction for their daily life by keeping their focus on Him and His desire for them to be separate from the evil people who would lead them astray. It was not easy for them, nor has it become easier for anyone. Sin brought adversity, and even creation itself groans under the bondage of corruption (Romans 8:19-23).

God’s plan of salvation through Christ Jesus has brought about a new covenant. Peter’s vision shows that God’s desire is for all people, Jews and Gentiles, to come to saving faith through Jesus; at the same time, the voice in the vision declared that “what God has made clean, do not call common” (Acts10:34-35, 11:9). As today’s verse declares: “Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.”

Gratitude is at the heart of prayer and your relationship with the Lord. Be thankful for all He has made and provided for you, but mostly for the salvation He affords to all those who believe. Pray now for those in government whose hearts groan with the burden of their sin, that they may come to know the joy of God’s most precious gift. Then give thanks and praise to Him for all He has done for you.

Today’s Verse: 1 Timothy 4:4

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Romans 8:18-28

¹⁸For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. ¹⁹For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope ²¹that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. ²²For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. ²³And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

²⁶Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. ²⁷And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.