Today is the National Day of Prayer

Yesterday was the National Day of Prayer. This day was established by President Truman in 1952 as a call for people of faith to pray for God’s protection, provision, and blessing upon our nation. I was able to participate in multiple events that commemorated this call to prayer.

One of the events was on the Bentonville Square. The Daily Walk, a ministry to business professionals, sponsored “Prayer on the Square.” Several hundred people gathered on the steps of the courthouse, sang a few worship songs, and prayed for our nation. It was attended by several of our elected officials, including the Mayor of Bentonville, and I was greatly encouraged to hear these leaders praying over our city and for our families.

In this age of political correctness and hyper-sensitivity to all things religious, it felt strange to be lifting my hands in praise in the shadow of a county seat of power. As the American and Arkansas flags flew above me, I kept looking over my shoulder wondering if some lawyer from the ACLU was going to come in with a bull-horn and shut the whole thing down. Gatherings like this in the USA are becoming the exception and not the rule. Moreover, I was reminded of all the places on this planet where a gathering of believers like this would not be possible.

While the loss of overt Christian influence in our government is lamentable, the Lord reminded me of this: no government, no power, no amount of legislation, no amount of resistance can stop God’s kingdom purposes from being realized through the work of His people who are empowered by His Holy Spirit. In fact, the Church has historically thrived in contexts that are hostile to its message. While I do not welcome the secular values and growing opposition toward the Church that is present in our government and society, I know that God’s presence is a promised reality in scripture and his ability to work through His people in the midst of such challenges has been proven again and again.

With this in mind, I hope we, as the Church, realize that prayer must be a constant practice, and not just a novelty that we display on the first Thursday in May. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “Pray without ceasing.” As you consider the direction of our government, our ambivalence in regards to basic morality, and the current pulse of our culture, has there ever been a greater need for God’s people to pray?

Let’s stand with the Apostle Paul. It's a stand that will not require new legislation. A boycott will not be necessary, nor a march on Capitol Hill. As God’s unique covenant people in the world let’s declare today as the National Day of Prayer.