National Day of Prayer This Week
Here in the USA.
May 3rd,
Thursday, is
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There’s much to pray for,
- our country is at war,
- our diminishing value of life (seems it’s not just the unborn we need to be concerned with anymore, people are at risk no matter their age),
- feigned spirituality, or blatant refusal of it,
- the need to reach friends and co-workers with the good news of the gospel,
- missions of mercy needed in many parts of the world.
We have reason to pray, no doubt about it.
In my opinion we’re in desperate need of seeing the other side of what’s happening with our troups half-way around the world. The clouds of our current political conditions are blocking many of the rays from our nation’s heroes abroad. They shine, but we only see the bottom of this thunderhead. I’d like for you to read some thoughts you’ll never hear or see on the 6 O’clock news. Read slowly. Read thoughtfully. Then pray for the men and women protecting our freedoms around the world today. America’s posture of greatest strength is now -and always- on bended knee. Freedom isn’t free. It never has been.
I remember the National Day of Prayer service and We Remember service I crafted and led in the year 2002. We took a long and thorough look at Galatians 5.1, 13-15 on those occasions, perhaps you can take a few moments to read and reflect there this week.
Remember. Thursday. National Day of Prayer. If you can participate in planned activities, please do. You’ll encourage those who’ve organized them, and it’s always good to pray with others. If conditions prevent you from participating, make reminders for yourself to pray (more than three or four minutes) for our nation. She has real needs. Very real needs.
I’ll also point to an earlier post; my thoughts on the verse on which this year’s National Day of Prayer pivots: 2 Chronicles 7:14
After you read the verse, you’ll recognize it, go back and read it in its context here or in your Bible.
If God, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, felt this way about Israel, can He feel any differently about we who name the name of Christ? Sobering thoughts. 
7 Replies to “National Day of Prayer This Week”
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What a delightful post…and thank you for linking to mine. You’re blogs are always so inspirational.
Thank you for posting about the National Day of Prayer! I have visited several blogs this day and your’s is the first to mention it. I don’t understand why Christians don’t use the NDOP to make a corporate stand for their LORD. While there is still time and it is still set aside by the government shouldn’t we unite in prayer at least for this one day???
I know we should be praying every day, as one, but it seems that much could be done to further the LORD’s Kingdom in the public eye if America saw Christians gathered together in great crowds to worship their LORD and pray for what He lays on our hearts as one massive people with one passionate desire to see our LORD glorified and lifted high.
The NDOP gathering in our city usually sees crowds of 100 or so for a county of over 100,000 people. And there are many professing Christians in our county! Where are they when we are called to pray???
The LORD have mercy on us as we take our children to their soccer or dance practice or we stay at home to watch our favorite show or…etc.
My prayer is that the Believers in this nation will finally get it that it’s not about us. We are here for the LORD’s sake only, not our own.
I hope you don’t mind this lamentation…I am new to your site and you don’t know me, but I was so relieved when I saw that you were promoting the NDOP.
The LORD bless you and your family abundantly!
Marie
I will be at it this year for sure. It should be great.
blessed1 – You’re welcome! Thanks for sharing the note from our servicemen. I was touched. We need to hear more from this side of the equation!
Marie – your lamentation is not a problem at all – in truth, it’s refreshing to know there are people who care enough for our condition to make us uncomfortable. We probably won’t make much progress by scolding, but we might by inviting a handful of people to come with us when we go to pray. Or spontaneously including it in everyday dialogue. Nice to have you stop by – DO come again!
klampert – remind yourself (I have to all the time) that it’s not the size of the group that matters, really. The numbers Jesus used (Matt. 18) indicate that it only takes two or three with God to constitute a quorum.
Blessings to you!
Phil—
Hi Phil —
I just want to share a very real prayer need with you and your bloggers. A young mother of three needs our prayers on Thursday (5/3/07). Her name is Heather George and you can read more about her story on her blog: http://especiallyheather.com/
She has endured great trials with one of her three children who never should have made it out of the womb (according to the doctors). On top of that, she recently found out that she has a brain tumor and will be undergoing surgery to remove it on Thursday.
I have never met her, but have read countless testimonies of how her faith is seeing her through all of these hard times. Through a fundraising effort at “BooMama’s” site, (http://boomama.net/?p=1019) almost $18,000 was raised to fund their expenses for the family during this surgery and the recovery.
I believe that it is no coincidence that her surgery will be held on the National Day of Prayer for this year, and that God will bless her through the earnest pleadings of many who will ask for Heather’s healing on that day. Another blogger, Kelli (http://living-in-grace.net/index.php/2007/04/30/prayers-for-heather/) has organized a 24/7 prayer circle for Heather as well.
I hope you don’t mind all the links, but God has really laid this family on my heart, and I wanted to share it with you in reference to your prayer posts and the National Day of Prayer.
Hope you and yours are doing well.
Many blessings,
Julie
Julie –
Thanks for sharing … we will be praying … the Great Physician never hangs a closed sign on his door … we will pray for God to do great and mighty things … more than we can even think or imagine …
~ Jonell
Thanks Jonell – I just checked her site, and she is in surgery right now. There are over 100 comments already from different people praying all over the country! It is awesome to see so many united for the cause of this young mother. God is so good, and I know He hears us all.
In Christ,
Julie