We have prayed for Mike Pompeo’s Secretary of State hearing and for godliness and wisdom in the Senate. Pompeo’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing ended in a show of civility and kindness by Democratic Senator Coons that paved the way for a favorable report to the whole Senate. Thank God for answered prayer.  Pray for Pompeo as he takes on this huge job, and all our top officials, with IFA’s prayer guide bookmark: Top U.S. Officials. Also, it’s not too late to let your Senators know that you are praying for them to have God’s wisdom for this nomination—click here to send a prayer.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

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The Senate will likely vote to confirm Mike Pompeo as the nation’s top diplomat later this week. But Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., appeared to earn that distinction for at least a few hours Monday night.

The fate over Pompeo hop-scotched between no fewer than five members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee late Monday as the panel tried to discharge the nomination to the floor.

The success of the nomination initially hinged on Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who long opposed Pompeo. Then it was up to Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who had been undecided.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, next. He was running late.

It later toggled to Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., who was away in mourning at the funeral of a best friend in Georgia.

Finally, Pompeo’s future landed in the hands of Coons, who opposes the nominee for secretary of state. And by the end of the night, it was the Delaware Democrat who helped propel the nomination to the floor with a surprising, O. Henry twist.

Coons will oppose the Pompeo nomination on the floor later this week. But on Monday, Coons found a friend in need: Isakson.

Isakson supports Pompeo’s nomination and will vote yes. But the Georgia Republican delivered the eulogy at the funeral back home and couldn’t make the 5 p.m. ET meeting of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Pompeo. Senators on the panel were slated to vote Pompeo’s nomination out of committee and advance it to the floor. But the question was whether they would vote on the nomination favorably, unfavorably or without recommendation. . . .

A “present” vote by Coons this time meant Isakson’s proxy vote wasn’t the deciding factor in the tally. In fact, the vote just as easily could have been 10-9 with Coons voting present, without Isakson’s ballot. But Coons took one for the team. He took one for the committee. He took one for the Senate. He took one for the Trump Administration. And most significantly, he took one for his friend Johnny Isakson.

“I want to thank Sen. Coons for displaying statesmanship,” said Corker, choking back tears. “It shows that senators at the right time can do outstanding things.”

Coons said it would have been “cruel” to haul Isakson back to Washington just to vote sometime before the witching hour Monday night. . . .

“Johnny Isakson is one of my best friends,” said Coons. “Johnny had a difficult day. He delivered the eulogy today for his best friend.”

Coons said when his father died, a Republican senator he didn’t know well offered to “pair” his vote with Coons so he could attend the funeral. The practice of “pairing votes” is when two senators on opposite positions of an issue agree in tandem not to vote. The phenomenon offsets each other’s votes. The Coons-Isakson alliance on Pompeo wasn’t a true “paired” vote. But the outcome was the same. . . .

“It was not an abandonment of principles. It was simply a courtesy to a friend who would do the same for me. I think we need more of that in the Senate, and I think we need more of that in this country,” said Coons. (Excerpted from Fox News, reporting by Chad Pergram.)