Day of Prayer Takes Place Despite Court Ruling
The court ruling “did not stop the Obama administration from issuing a National Day of Prayer proclamation this year, just as it had last year; in it, President Obama calls on citizens to ‘pray, or otherwise give thanks.’” CBS
Amazingly, I attended my first National Day of Prayer church service (first National Day of Prayer event of any kind, for that matter) on Thursday night, and was very encouraged and challenged by it.
I think all churches should make use of this day to call people to pray — especially with prayer for the nation.
If/when we lose our freedoms in this country, religious and otherwise, we may look back with regret that we didn’t.
Rather than debating whether there should be a National Day of Prayer established by Congress, why would we not just make use of it for all it is worth?? Why do our churches not utilize this tool??
I think all churches should make use of this day to call people to pray — especially with prayer for the nation.
If/when we lose our freedoms in this country, religious and otherwise, we may look back with regret that we didn’t.
Rather than debating whether there should be a National Day of Prayer established by Congress, why would we not just make use of it for all it is worth?? Why do our churches not utilize this tool??
Church Ministries Representative, serving in the Midwest, for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry
Personally, I’m not sure how to use it. I have to believe that a national recognition of God and seeking of Him is a good thing (as in, better than the alternative) even where faith is lacking. But the kinds of Day of Prayer events that go on tend to prominently feature “fake unity” rhetoric. That is, people act like one big happy family even though their beliefs are profoundly different… so the unity is not the “unity of the faith” (Eph. 4 somewhere).
But I do think our church could host an event with maybe one other denomination in the village and invite folks to come. If it’s our event, the unity talk can be reduced to what is actually true… “we all believe in seeking God on behalf of our nation, otherwise we wouldn’t be here.” (Or just leave the unity talk out completely… in our case, it would not be about ecumenism or anything of the kind so a “coming together” would not really be the point)
But I do think our church could host an event with maybe one other denomination in the village and invite folks to come. If it’s our event, the unity talk can be reduced to what is actually true… “we all believe in seeking God on behalf of our nation, otherwise we wouldn’t be here.” (Or just leave the unity talk out completely… in our case, it would not be about ecumenism or anything of the kind so a “coming together” would not really be the point)
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
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