Let’s Pray for America (Part 2 of 4)
Note: This is a patriotic post, not a political one.
If you haven’t noticed by my blogs and social media posts, I’m passionate about two things — prayer and country (and my family is right there with prayer).
I’ve always been patriotic. I even decorated my guest room in red, white and blue with several patriotic accessories placed about.
Tears never cease to fill my eyes every time I hear a patriotic song. To think of the men who willingly, sacrificially fought and died to defend the freedom of this great country… To think of the families who have lost loved ones who died for this country… To think how blessed we are to live here… To think of others who are not so fortunate…
We must never take it for granted. We must never ever forget.
But I’m troubled about our great nation and the direction in which it’s been going. I can’t help encouraging us all to pray for it.
You may think America has an economic, social or other problem, but at the core it’s a spiritual problem. If we don’t like our leaders or potential leaders, who elected them? (By the way, less than half of evangelical Christians even voted in the last election.) We the peoplehave a spiritual problem.
Americans have walked further and further away from God and His ways. And the farther we get from God, the worse things get. God blessed this great nation because it was a shining city on a hill, shining for Him. We put “In God We Trust” on our money and posted the Ten Commandments in our public buildings, etc. But then we rejected God’s blessings and took Him down.
As is human nature, we the people began to rebel and think we could bless ourselves. We proceeded to push God away and go it alone. In so doing, we walked out from under His protection and blessing.
With the election approaching, I have felt our country is like a dear loved one who is critically ill and we don’t know if she’s going to make it. This was the analogy Dr. Ben Carson used in “Revive Us 2016,” which was shown in theaters last week and will be shown again this Monday, October 24. (It was an excellent and encouraging event. Go to www.reviveus2016.com for more information and locations.)
If you look all through the Old Testament, this is exactly what the Israelites did — over and over again. Psalm 106 recounts it well – the roller coaster of Israel’s rebellion and God’s mercy and grace. So I’d like to use Psalm 106 for this week’s prayer for our country.
We hear 2 Chronicles 7:14 quoted often lately, but it’s worth repeating:
If my people who are called by my name[has America been called a “Christian” nation?] will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Key words: turn and forgive. We must repent in order to enjoy the Lord’s blessing. This means turning in another direction – turning back to Him – returning to His commandments, protection and blessing. We moved. He didn’t.
So let’s pray…
From Psalm 106 –
Your steadfast love endures forever.
or fully declare your praise?
3 May we be those blessed who act justly,
who always do what is right.
come to our aid and save us,
5 that we may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that we may share in the joy of your nation
and join your inheritance in giving praise.
we have done wrong and acted wickedly.
7 We have given no thought to your miracles;
8 Yet please save us for your name’s sake,
to make your mighty power known.
10 You saved the Israelites from the hand of the foe;
from the hand of the enemy you redeemed them.
12 Then they believed your promises
and sang your praise.
and did not wait for your plan to unfold.
14 We gave in to our craving;
and put You to the test.
20 We exchanged our glorious God
for desires and materialism.
21 We forgot the God who saved us,
who had done great things for us,
22 miracles and awesome deeds.
25 We grumble against you
and do not obey you, Lord.
26 You swore to the Israelites with uplifted hand
that you would make them fall in the wilderness.
29 We like them have aroused the Lord’s anger by our wicked deeds…
36 Like them, we have worshiped idols,
which have become a snare to us.
and abhorred your inheritance.
41 You gave them into the hands of the nations,
and allowed their foes to rule over them.
42 Their enemies oppressed them
and subjected them to their power.
43 Many times you delivered them,
let us not be bent on rebellion
and waste away in our sin.
44 You took note of their distress
when you heard their cry;
45 for their sake you remembered your covenant
and out of your great love you relented.
46 You caused all who held them captive
to show them mercy.
save us from our sins and from our enemies,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.
from everlasting to everlasting.
May God bless America once again, and may we be that shining city on a hill for all the world to see that Jesus is the answer!
Join me again next week to pray more scriptures for America.
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on [Jesus]
the iniquity of us all.
I am writing a six-week Bible study called Pursuing God in P.R.A.Y.E.R. – Six Steps to Prevailing Prayer. I would love to share the first week with you free and keep you posted of publication. Just send me an email at lifecoachpenny@yahoo.com and mention the code FREE1st.