05-03-2024 "National Day Of Prayer"
Thursday
(yesterday) was the National Day of Prayer. Since before the founding of the
United States, as an independent nation, leaders were calling for days of
prayer when faced with such things as drought and attack. That practice
continued as the new nation took shape. Presidents, Governors, Congress often
appealed to the people to pray and fast as challenges arose, and occasionally
in thanks for blessings. From what I can tell, President Truman made the
National Day of Prayer an annual event. Eventually President Reagan normalized
the observance to the first Thursday in May. So, yesterday, Thursday, May 2 was
National Day of Prayer for this year. What
National Day of Prayer looks like differs from place to place. Some places
there are crowds, and celebrity speakers. In some places, prayer is coupled
with breakfast, or some degree of worship. I think whatever brings people
together, and leads them into prayer, is probably okay. Additionally, what people
pray for varies from place to place. Many do interpret the occasion as one
where prayers are offered for the nation.
Others will interpret the day as one where the nation gathers for
prayer, and the prayers may cover a multitude of topics ranging from personal,
to family, to community, and beyond. Again, I think that there is a very wide
latitude about what one might pray about. But how about this; what I want to encourage YOU to do, is consider prayer FOR the nation – everyday. I assume that you pray every day. If you don’t, that is the place to begin. The effect on our faith, the potential for growth, spiritually, is greatly increased, as we pray more and more. That said, I want to encourage you dear reader, that as you pray, daily, some regular portion be devoted to prayers for the nation. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Maybe I am jumping the gun here (a little track and field metaphor) – but I am assuming that everyone will agree that as a nation we are not perfect, there are some problems. There are areas we can do better. Some things are really, really broken – or evil. We might disagree on the exact nature of those evils; but there might be some overlap. No matter what, I think many believe that as a nation, there are troubles that we face, that are beyond the means of man to fix on his own. What can we do? Pray. Do we? Not nearly enough. Even if everyone in the nation prayed for the nation on National Day of Prayer Day, there would still be much to pray for. And, if only on that special day, it would mean that there is a ton of time that we aren’t paying attention to those issues in the way that has the most chance of real change. I guess my point is, if it is worth a day to pray; it is worth so much more. You don’t need to make a big deal about it, but I would encourage you – do it. Pray – everyday – for those near and dear, for anything God places on your heart, and don’t forget the place where you live. God wants to hear your prayers. Grace, Mercy and Peace,
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