{"id":4183,"date":"2019-12-12T06:31:39","date_gmt":"2019-12-12T06:31:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wpmu.azurewebsites.net\/nlt\/?p=4183"},"modified":"2021-12-08T09:20:59","modified_gmt":"2021-12-08T09:20:59","slug":"why-pray-for-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpmu2.azurewebsites.net\/nlt\/2019\/12\/12\/why-pray-for-america\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Pray for America?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Forward from the One Year Pray for America Bible<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

by Dr. Barry C. Black, Chaplain of the United States Senate <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The One Year Pray for America Bible<\/a><\/em> provides springboards for prayer that enable you to pray more effectively. It gives a different prayer prompt each day, encouraging us to pray for our government and make petitions on behalf of our leaders and fellow citizens for security, forgiveness, mercy, justice, humility, and wisdom. Prayer enables us to make our voices heard in heaven regarding America\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prayer helped to make America a beacon of freedom. At the\nbirth of this nation, people sought God\u2019s help in making the dream of Liberty a\nreality. At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, when the participants had reached\nan impasse, Benjamin Franklin suggested that they pray, and they eventually\ndid. Those prayers aided in our nation\u2019s birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One of the first acts of the new American legislative branch\nin 1789 was to establish a chaplaincy. A key responsibility of this chaplaincy\nwas to begin each legislative session with an invocation. Prayer has continued almost\nuninterrupted since that time, because seeking God\u2019s assistance for a person,\nnation, or world is laudable. The Bible reminds us, \u201cGodliness makes a nation\ngreat, but sin is a disgrace to any people\u201d (Proverbs 14:34). Humanity can\ncooperate with Divinity in making a nation great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If our nation started with prayer, perhaps we should also\nsustain it with the same. We should get back to praying because, after all, God\nis sovereign over all nations. Job 12:23-24 says this about God: \u201cHe builds up\nnations, and he destroys them. He expands nations, and he abandons them. He strips\nkings of understanding and leaves them wandering in a pathless wasteland.\u201d\nThese verses make it clear that humanity will not have the ultimate word in\nwhat happens to nations; God will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting Back to\nPraying for Our Nation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We should get back to praying for our government because God\nhas ordained government to establish order in society. The apostle Paul puts it\nthis way:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all\nauthority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed\nthere by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God\nhas instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike\nfear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you\nlike to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will\nhonor you. The authorities are God\u2019s servants, sent for your good. But if you\nare doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to\npunish you. They are God\u2019s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing\nthose who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid\npunishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government\nworkers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone\nwhat you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect\nthem, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. (Romans 13:1-7)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God ordained government for our good. Paul instructs us that\ngovernment officials deserve our prayers, finances, honor, and respect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We should get back to praying for our government because God\ncommands us to pray for it. We find these words in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, \u201cI urge\nyou, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on\ntheir behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are\nin authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and\ndignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be\nsaved and to understand the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We should get back to praying for our government because\nlife should not be divided into sacred and secular. God has sovereignty over\nall our lives because in him we live, move, breathe, and function (Acts 17:28).\nAccording to Proverbs 21:1, even the king\u2019s heart is in God\u2019s hands; the sovereign\nGod guides the king\u2019s heart as he desires. Our lives are sustained by a\npowerful divine providence, and the sacred permeates every part of our\nexistence, including government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We should get back to praying for our government because\npeople of faith have a role in influencing public life and policy. We must give\nto Caesar what belongs to him (Matthew 22:21), fostering morality in government\nand holding authorities accountable. The Bible challenges us to be salt and\nlight to our world (Matthew 5:13-16). This means refusing to be missing in\naction when it comes to governmental affairs. Esther, Nehemiah, and Daniel are\njust three examples of how believers should relate to government constructively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We should get back to praying for our government because the\nends sought by the government should be morally acceptable. In short, when Caesar\u2019s\ndictates collide with God\u2019s commands, we must obey God instead of Caesar (Acts 5:29).\nWhen the Babylonian king demanded that Daniel and his friends eat inappropriate\nfood, Daniel negotiated an acceptable alternative that satisfied this demand\n(Daniel 1:5-16). When, however, the same king insisted these young men bow and\nworship an idol or be executed in a fiery furnace, the young men chose to risk\ndeath rather than compromise their faith (Daniel 3:1-18). Therefore, we must\ncooperate with government whenever it does not violate our allegiance to God\nand resist it when it does. Part of our cooperation entails praying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We should get back to praying for our government because we\nare urged to pray for others. In Jesus\u2019 model prayer for his disciples (Matthew\n6:9\u201113),\nthe pronouns are plural. It does not say \u201cMy Father\u201d but \u201cOur Father.\u201d We are\nnot told to pray \u201cgive me today the food I need,\u201d but \u201cgive us today the food\nwe need.\u201d Jesus does not admonish us to pray \u201cdon\u2019t let me yield to temptation,\nbut rescue me from the evil one,\u201d but \u201cdon\u2019t let us yield to temptation, but\nrescue us from the evil one.\u201d Although some may find it difficult to believe\nthat the effectiveness of prayer goes beyond the private and interior life of\nthe intercessor, the Bible urges us to pray for others (James 5:16).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We should get back to praying for our government because\nintercessory prayer is an affirmation of faith in the God who desires to serve\nhumanity. God says in Ezekiel 33:11: \u201cAs surely as I live, says the Sovereign\nLord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to\nturn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O\npeople of Israel! Why should you die?\u201d In his book on prayer, Eric Hayman\nobserved, \u201cThe power of our intercession is not our isolated pressure on a God\nremote from us. It is the action of His Spirit in and through our little souls,\nself-offered to the purpose of His will. So our intercession depends on our\nkeeping open both to the perfect will of God and also the need and suffering of\nthe world.\u201d* Perhaps this is why Elton Trueblood speaks of the church as a\n\u201cfellowship of the concerned.\u201d\u2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We should get back to praying for our government because God\nblesses nations that acknowledge him. Psalm 33:12 states: \u201cWhat joy for the nation\nwhose God is the Lord, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.\u201d God\nshows special favor to those who respect his sovereignty. He protects these\nnations, surrounding them with the shield of his love (Psalm 5:12).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How We Should Pray<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, how should we pray for our government? First, we should pray for our government\u2019s needs. One Greek word that can be translated as \u201csupplication\u201din 1 Timothy 2:1 is de\u0113sis, which is a word that suggests that God expects us to ask him to meet our government\u2019s needs. God has promised to supply all our needs out of his celestial bounty (Philippians 4:19). He invites us to cry out to him when we are confronted with trouble (Psalm 50:15).When our government is overwhelmed by moral, financial, and even safety concerns, we should intercede for its needs. We have an example of praying for the needs of the government in James 5:16-18. These verses remind us that Elijah prayed and asked God to stop the rain from falling. Elijah was concerned because the government under King Ahab had endorsed the worship of Baal. The government seemed certain that it was Baal who sent the rain and produced a bountiful harvest, not the God of Israel. Elijah was concerned about governmental deviation from God\u2019s law. He wanted the sovereign God of Israel to assert himself, and God answered his prayer,which was prompted by this need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Second, we should pray with total dependence on God. Another Greek word in 1 Timothy 2:1 that can be translated as \u201cprayer\u201d is proseuch\u0113. This word suggests that we should seek God as the sole provider of our government\u2019s success. This dependence on God\u2019s power is implied in Psalm 127:1: \u201cUnless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.\u201d The notion of total dependence upon God is also captured in the Ten Commandments given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai: \u201cYou must not have any other god but me\u201d (Exodus 20:3). God desires to be our sole provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third, we should pray confidently, knowing that we have complete access to God. The Greek word enteuxis in 1 Timothy 2:1 can be translated as \u201cpetition.\u201d In this word, we can see an admonition to come boldly before God\u2019s throne of grace to receive help in the time of need (see also Hebrews 4:16). We hear this same sentiment in 1 Peter 2:9, which describes believers as royal priests. A priest is someone who has access to both God and the people and is a bridge between God and the people. When we pray for our government, we should intercede with an awareness of our complete access to God in heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finally, we should pray with thanksgiving. The final Greek word in 1 Timothy 2:1 that shows us how to pray is eucharistia, which can be translated\u201cthanksgiving.\u201d Thanksgiving adds perfume to our petitions ascending to God\u2019s throne. Philippians 4:6 says: \u201cPray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.\u201d Everything includes our prayers for our government. Believers are also encouraged to give thanks in every circumstance (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Continual thanksgiving is God\u2019swill for our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Difference Prayer\nCan Make<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine the difference our prayers would make if we asked\nspecifically for God to deal with the needs of our nation. What would happen if\nwe prayed for a stronger economy, or more harmonious race relations, or greater\ncivility among our political leaders, or better cooperation between our\nbranches of government? Specificity matters. God is waiting for us to be\nspecific about our needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine what would happen if we sought God as our first\noption\u2014not the fourth or fifth. It would be wonderful to avoid the mistakes of\nthe disciples in a storm at sea. They first attempted to save themselves; they\nwaited before awakening Jesus (Mark 4:35-41). Our prayers for government can be\nenergized by understanding that God is the sole source of our strength and\nhelp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Imagine what would happen if we took frequent advantage of\nthe complete access God has given us to his throne because of our status as\nroyal priests. It can take months to meet with a government leader, but God has\nprovided us with continuous access to his presence, mercy, grace, and might.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine what would happen if Thanksgiving came every day instead of once a year. How much more effective our prayers would be if we decided with the psalmist to praise the Lord at all times, with his praises constantly on our lips (Psalm 34:1). Perhaps then we would know experientially the truth of Psalm 22:22-31, which envisions a holy God who is continually praised by his people. The greatest days of our nation are linked to the holiness of its citizens. By God\u2019s grace, let\u2019s get back to prayer. The One Year Pray for America Bible<\/a><\/em> <\/a>is a great starting point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Eric Hayman, Prayer and the Christian Life (London:\nStudent Christian MovementPress, 1948), 122-123.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2020 Elton Trueblood, Alternative to Futility (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1948), 58.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sampler<\/a>
Look Inside the One Year Pray for America Bible<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Forward from the One Year Pray for America Bible by Dr. Barry C. Black, Chaplain of the United States Senate The One Year Pray for America Bible provides springboards for prayer that enable you to pray more effectively. It gives a different prayer prompt each day, encouraging us to pray for our government and make […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15,45,47,49],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpmu2.azurewebsites.net\/nlt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4183"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpmu2.azurewebsites.net\/nlt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpmu2.azurewebsites.net\/nlt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpmu2.azurewebsites.net\/nlt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpmu2.azurewebsites.net\/nlt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4183"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wpmu2.azurewebsites.net\/nlt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4183\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5741,"href":"https:\/\/wpmu2.azurewebsites.net\/nlt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4183\/revisions\/5741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpmu2.azurewebsites.net\/nlt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpmu2.azurewebsites.net\/nlt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpmu2.azurewebsites.net\/nlt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}