Can the National Day of Prayer Reunite a Divided Nation?

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Tomorrow, the United States Capitol will turn into a place of worship. The reason—the 30th annual National Day of Prayer.

With the nation severely divided politically, religiously and racially, Dr. Ronnie Floyd, the president of the National Day of Prayer, says he can’t think of another moment more appropriate for America to come together and pray for unity in our nation.

“We are living through a crucial time in our country’s history. Division rages, hate and vitriolic language are loud. We’re more focused on making enemies than friends. If we do not find the resolve to come together and confront the issues fracturing our communities and dividing our country, we will not find the peace and healing we desperately need.

“In all this, one thing is crystal clear: Politics will not heal us, and government will not fix us. We need a massive prayer movement that will lead us back to God and bring healing to our land. That is my great hope for this date set apart for prayer and national repentance.”

As believers gather in Washington and across America, they’re asked to concentrate their prayers on four distinct areas:

  1. Ask God to bless the United States (“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord—the people He has chosen to be His own possession!” Psalm 33:12)
  • Ask God to bless America mercifully and give favor to the United States of America.
  • Ask God to bless America spiritually in a new and fresh way and move us to return to the Lord our God.
  • Ask God to bless America by raising up godly leaders in all areas of our nation: locally, regionally, statewide and nationally.
  • Ask God to bless America economically so that all people in our nation will be blessed and so we can be a blessing to the entire world.
  • Ask God to bless America by securing our nation from all evil and harm from within our nation and from outside; please Lord, continue to bring resolve in the North Korea issue.
  1. Pray for unity in America (“Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3)
  • The present spiritual crisis in America is calling us to pray for and take all necessary actions to come together as a nation.
  • God is the only One who can bring unity, harmony and oneness in America; therefore, we look only to Him in prayer.
  • Call upon God to empower us to make every effort to live in unity, call for unity and continually forward unity in America.
  1. Pray for the centers of influence in America (“First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” 1 Timothy 2:1-2)
  • Pray for the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the United States government.
  • Pray for America’s military, its leaders and all personnel to be protected by God, and for the courage to depend upon God.
  • Pray for the members of our media in America to be life-giving truth bearers and unity contributors.
  • Pray for America’s businesses to have leaders of integrity, be creators of economic blessing, and givers to the community.
  • Pray for America’s centers of education to be truth-centered, excellence-driven and bearers of opportunities.
  • Pray for the churches of America to be gospel-centered in message, disciple-makers in mission and Spirit-empowered to unity.
  • Pray for the families in America to return to the biblical model, reconcile with one another, and be restored to love and unity.
  1. Ask God for the National Day of Prayer to become a catalytic spiritual movement across America (“They all were continually united in prayer.” Acts 1:14)
  • Lord, we ask You to unify Your church in America, so the church can call our nation to unity on the National Day of Prayer and in the future.
  • Lord, we ask You to move each of us to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit personally in our families, churches, workplaces, and communities.
  • Lord, we ask You to empower our National Day of Prayer volunteers who will lead and serve in thousands upon thousands of observances on May 3.

The primary event in this year’s observance will be telecast Thursday night from historic Statuary Hall in the US Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on the Daystar network and online at nationaldayofprayer.org. The telecast begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT.

During the program, Dr. Floyd will interview Pastor Frank and Sherri Pomeroy of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas. Last November, a shooter walked into the Pastor Pomeroy’s church and opened fire, killing 26 people—including children—and injuring 20 more. It was the deadliest church shooting in U.S. history. The Pomeroys’ 14-year-old daughter was among those killed that morning.

Dr. Floyd is calling on the church to use the National Day of Prayer to rise as one, to cry to God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus. “If unity is to come to our country,” he says, “it must begin with us.”

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Bob Ditmer
Bob Ditmer has worked in Christian media for more than 20 years including positions with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and Focus on the Family.

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