I have never “celebrated” the National Day of Prayer except to say a brief prayer in private for my country. I Timothy 2:1-2 says, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” I have to confess I often don’t think to unless there is some kind of trouble, imminent or potential, and I suspect many conservative Christians are the same way.

I know there is some controversy over the national declaration of such a day. Whatever the separation of church and state actually means, it is clear that our founding fathers did not mean that every vestige of religion be moved from public life. They often invoked God’s name in their writings, even in their official documents. While I think Christian leaders can declare such a day without governmental support, I think it is wise and helpful for government to acknowledge it is not beyond the need for prayer.

I am not much for writing out prayers — I’d rather just pray them. But I have benefited from the many prayers in Scripture and from other people’s writings, and writing them out can be a good way to sort out one’s stray thoughts, think through how one wants to pray, and focus without as much distraction. So in that vein, I wanted to write out what I want to pray today.

Dear Father,

Thank you for this nation. Even with all its flaws, it is a good place to live. I am thankful for its blessings and provisions. We too easily take for granted all we have here. Help us to be more mindful of others, even within our own country, who don’t have the blessings we’re so accustomed to, and help us to be more generous.

I do pray for our leaders, from the president all the way down to the local school board members. Help them to seek Your guidance. Help them to be honest, to be motivated by the good they can do rather than their own positions and status, to take a stand when needed and to know when and how to negotiate when needed. Help those who don’t know you to be convicted of their own need for you and to hear and believe your truth. I do pray “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”

I do not pray that we may “reclaim the culture.” I think what many people mean by that is that we might return to the cleaner lifestyles and family values of decades ago. While I do pray for those things, I acknowledge that people can live even in that culture without truly knowing You and without being motivated by Your truth. What I do pray for is a revival like the kind that shook our nation during the Great Awakening, in which people would acknowledge You, be convicted about living their lives apart from the dictates of Your Word, and believe on You for forgiveness and salvation. Your Word says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD” (Psalm 33:12a). May our nation become a truly Christian one.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen