Necessary Roughness

My own NR Classic reminded me that there should be a National Day of Prayer coming soon. I went to the web site and found that it is Thursday, May 3.

The basic objection to the National Day of Prayer remains the same: in its striving to include non-Christians, it excludes Jesus. I can’t say that’s a proper trade.

I do think that this year’s prayer that Dr. Charles Swindoll has written is slightly better than last year’s by Dr. Henry Blackaby. Gone is the quid pro quo that God will honor America when America honors God.

I still have issues with the “our gratitude for Your grace is profound, our love for You is deep” lines: they are people-focused, and at times they seem quite untrue. The rest is at least God-focused, whatever God you choose to plug in.

In perhaps a step down from last year, there is no mention of sin in this prayer, unless one interprets the lack of genuine humility as sin. Dr. Swindoll says “our need for Your forgiveness is constant,” which is true, but we don’t hear forgiveness from what.

In praying for the nation this year, I would be thankful that our federal government is allowing state governments to ban the gruesome and inexcusable practice of partial-birth abortion. As with such issues where there is a mandate from God, I pray that state and local governments be allowed to prevent such gross sin within the explicit framework of the U.S. Constitution. I also pray:

• that God grant wisdom and competence to those in government and those who seek office,
• for safety, clear missions, and efficiency for our soldiers that they may vanquish our enemies,
• for governmental and economic changes in neighboring countries to reduce the need for civil disobedience at the border,
• for the protection of the divine institution of marriage,
• for hostile countries, they may stop religious persecution of everyone, especially Christians,
• that our citizenry not lose Christianity in a sea of postmodernism, syncretism, and unionism,
• that all may come to an awareness of their faults in light of God’s Law, repent of our wrongdoings, and believe in the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Christ for the forgiveness of sins,
• for our pastors, that they may not be seduced by the world in abandoning the preaching of Christ crucified in the prideful pursuit of sheer numbers, and
• for our civil leaders, that they may allow us to live our lives in peace and quietness, so that we can live godly lives and focus on earning our daily bread. In Jesus’ name, Amen.