Praying for Evil

The LORD will be king over the whole earth.

On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name. 

(Zechariah 14:9 NIV)

“The practical problem about charity (in our prayers) is very hard work, isn’t it? When you pray for Hitler & Stalin, how do you actually teach yourself to make the prayer real? The two things that help me are (a) A continual grasp of the idea that one is only joining one’s feeble little voice to the perpetual intercession of Christ, who died for those very men (b) A recollection, as firm as one can make it, of all one’s own cruelty wh. might have blossomed, under different conditions, into something terrible. You and I are not, at bottom, so different from these ghastly creatures.”* – C.S. Lewis

For millennia people have struggled with the reality of evil in our world. C.S. Lewis, writing during World War 2, struggled to pray for Hitler and Stalin. Today we may struggle to pray for Xi or Putin (or … or … or ….). And at most other points in history, there were evil people and evil deeds. While I cannot possibly explain why God would allow such evil to go unchecked in our world he created as “good,” I do know that God has not abandoned us. And evildoers will (eventually) meet their just reward.

The Psalmist says it this way,

Don’t follow after the wicked ones or be jealous of their wealth. Don’t think for a moment they’re better off than you. They and their short-lived success will soon shrivel up and quickly fade away, like grass clippings in the hot sun. Keep trusting in the Lord and do what is right in his eyes.

Fix your heart on the promises of God, and you will dwell in the land, feasting on his faithfulness. Find your delight and true pleasure in Yahweh, and he will give you what you desire the most. Give God the right to direct your life, and as you trust him along the way, you’ll find he pulled it off perfectly! He will appear as your righteousness, as sure as the dawning of a new day. He will manifest as your justice, as sure and strong as the noonday sun. Quiet your heart in his presence and wait patiently for Yahweh. And don’t think for a moment that the wicked, in their prosperity, are better off than you.

Stay away from anger and revenge. Keep envy far from you, for it only leads you into lies. For one day the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will inherit the land. Just a little while longer and the ungodly will vanish; you will look for them in vain. But the humble of heart will inherit every promise and enjoy abundant peace.

Let the wicked keep plotting against the godly with all their sneers and arrogant jeers. God laughs at the wicked and their plans, for he knows their day is coming! Evil ones take aim at the poor and helpless; they are ready to slaughter those who do right. But the Lord will turn all their weapons of wickedness back on themselves, piercing their pride-filled hearts until they are helpless.

It is much better to have little combined with much of God than to have the fabulous wealth of the wicked and nothing else. For the Lord takes care of all his forgiven ones while the strength of evil men will surely slip away. Day by day the Lord watches the good deeds of the godly, and he prepares for them his forever-reward. Even in a time of disaster he will watch over them, and they will always have more than enough no matter what happens.

“All the enemies of God will perish. For the wicked have only a momentary value, a fading glory. Then one day they vanish! Here today, gone tomorrow.” (Psalm 37:1-20 TPT)

Omnipotent God,

Thank you that you reign over all the earth and your plans and purposes will not be thwarted. When we watch the terrible evils in our world with dread and fear in our hearts, remind us that you cannot and will not abandon your children. When it seems that wickedness is triumphant, show us how you are moving and working in the world to break the power of the wicked and to uphold and shelter your people. Help us to pray knowing that we are joining our voices to Christ, who died for even the evil ones and lives now to intercede for us. Help us to remember that without Holy Spirit’s presence and working within us, we, too, might have embraced the enemy’s darkness and evil plans. Show us how you are moving in this world and help us to delight in you so we can experience the fullness of life lived within your Kingdom. Help the eyes of our hearts to be focused on your goodness, glory, mercy, and peace and to share that Light with a world trapped in darkness. In the strong name of Christ we pray, Amen.

“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:25 NIV)

“Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.

Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.

7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it only causes harm.

For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the Lord,
They shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

12 The wicked plots against the just,
And gnashes at him with his teeth.
13 The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn the sword
And have bent their bow,
To cast down the poor and needy,
To slay those who are of upright conduct.
15 Their sword shall enter their own heart,
And their bows shall be broken.

16 A little that a righteous man has
Is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
But the Lord upholds the righteous.

18 The Lord knows the days of the upright,
And their inheritance shall be forever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish;
And the enemies of the Lord,
Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
Into smoke they shall vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows and does not repay,
But the righteous shows mercy and gives.
22 For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,
But those cursed by Him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.” (Psalm 37:1-24 NKJV)

*Letters of C. S. Lewis. Copyright © 1966 by C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. and W. H. Lewis. Copyright © 1988 by C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved. Used with permission of HarperCollins Publ