A Day of Prayer for the Nation

On April 15, 2010, Federal District Barbara B. Crabb declared that the National Day of Prayer established by act of Congress in 1952 violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Her injunction takes effect at the conclusion of any appeals filed by the defendants, President Obama and White House Press Secretary Gibbs. The text of the decision may be obtained at http://ffrf.org/uploads/legal/SummaryJudgementGeitner.PDF.

It is understandable that many Christians are upset by this decision, and they see it as a further erosion of our national Christian heritage. They are right. But I, for one, am not so concerned that some judge in some court has again denied the right and prerogative of the Congress to set aside one day as a National Day of Prayer. After all, this government has not been a friend to Christians for a very long time, nor do I expect them to change in short order.

My concern is that we are, again, overly dependent upon the government to take the lead in restoring and protecting our Christian heritage. We receive nothing from government; we receive all good and right things from God. The atheist shares in this blessing only because God is good.

Before anyone gets their shorts in a knot, ask this question of yourself. When was the last time your church called for a day of prayer? If they did, how well was it attended? Did you attend?

We don't need the government to declare a National Day of Prayer. What we need is our churches to declare a National Day of Prayer, Fasting, and Repentance, pleading with God to remove from us our national, ecclesiastic, and personal sin and shame. Once we get serious about that, then the government will follow, as they should.

If you pray, they will follow because Jesus is King, even over the United States of America.