Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Pray For America


Gary L. Bauer


National Day Of Prayer

Tomorrow marks the 62nd annual National Day of Prayer, led by our good friend Mrs. Shirley Dobson.

This year's theme is "Pray For America." With ongoing economic anxiety at home, chaos and uncertainty overseas, unprecedented assaults on faith (even the meaning of marriage on trial at the Supreme Court), our country is in great need of prayer.

Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, is this year's Honorary Chairman. Here is the prayer he has written for our country:

Father, we come to You to pray for our nation, the United States of America.

How You have blessed us through the years, Lord! We rightly sing, "America, America, God shed His grace on thee." Yet we see trouble in our culture today. We see the breakdown of the family, crippling addictions, and random acts of horrific violence.

Lord, we need Your help in America. In recent days, we have done our best to remove Your Word and Your counsel from our courtrooms, classrooms and culture. It seems, as President Lincoln once said, that we have "forgotten God." But Lord, You have not forgotten us! You can bless and help and revive our country again.

Scripture tells us that "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Proverbs 14:34). Lord, in Your mercy, we ask that You would exalt our country again. We have had a number of great awakenings in America. We have experienced times of refreshing, and revivals that changed not only the spiritual but also the moral landscape. As the psalmist said, "Will You not revive us again, so that Your people may rejoice in You?" (Psalm 85:6)

That is our prayer for America today, Lord. Send a mighty spiritual awakening that will turn the hearts of men and women, boys and girls back to you. You have told us if we will humble ourselves and pray, and seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways, that You will forgive our sins and heal our land. (2 Chronicles7:14)

Forgive us today, Lord, and heal this troubled land that we love so much.

We ask all of this in the name of Jesus Christ.

National Day of Prayer events will be held all over the country. If you would like to participate in a local event, click here to find one near you.