A Simple Guide for the National Day of Prayer

National Day of Prayer 

A Proclamation [excerpts]

During the Civil War Lincoln said that he was driven to his knees in prayer because he was convinced that he had nowhere else to go. During World War II, an unknown soldier in a trench in Tunisia left behind a scrap of paper with the verses:

Stay with me, God. The night is dark,
The night is cold: my little spark
Of courage dies. The night is long;
Be with me, God, and make me strong.

America has lived through many a cold, dark night, when the cupped hands of prayer were our only shield against the extinction of courage. Indeed, the true meaning of our entire history as a Nation can scarcely be glimpsed without some notion of the importance of prayer, our Declaration of Dependence on God's favor on this unfinished enterprise we call America.

On our National Day of Prayer, then, we join together... to petition God to show us His mercy and His love, to heal our weariness and uphold our hope, that we might live ever mindful of His justice and thankful for His blessing.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan...call upon the citizens of this great Nation to gather together in homes and places of worship to pray, each after his or her own manner, for unity of the hearts of all mankind.

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Prayer Guide

As you pray today, ask God to intervene in the following arenas of influence. Dare to believe hearts could be changed and a revival of righteousness would sweep through. Pray for:

Family: pray for your own family, families throughout the nation, and that the value of family would be restored

Church: pray for the church, pastors, and congregations; for encouragement and renewal; for courage and strength in their various callings

Education: pray for our schools, Pre-K through college. Administrators and teachers need the help of God to be a force for good and righteousness

Government: pray for those whose daily decisions impact our lives in so many ways

Military: soldiers and all who lead them need encouragement and a sense of purpose. Pray that righteousness will prevail

Business: pray for a humility and generosity – the fear of God – to be manifest in all the business endeavors in our nation. With God all things are possible.

Arts, media and entertainment: these arenas have enormous influence. Pray for mercy, repentance, and truth.

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The Prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ has been a guide for the Church for two millenia.

Let it guide you as you pray today.

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Hallowed: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” It is right to bend the knee and honor God who made all things and in whom our lives consist.

The Kingdom Come Thy Will Be Done: God's ways are good, we can count on that. When we pray for His ways we are asking for blessing, and putting ourselves on the line to shape our hearts in God's ways. Ask God to have mercy and let His goodness prevail no matter what it may cost.

Give Us This Day: When we stop and pray we must remember we are children. Like children we are needy, we cannot make it on our own, so very  much is beyond our control. Like children we must ask. Here we humble ourselves, remember our neediness, and ask for the blessing of God. Yes, for daily provisions, but also for the life-giving presence of God Himself.

Forgive Us, As We Forgive: Our nation is deeply divided. Pray for grace to forgive those who deeply offend. Pray for a heart of mercy toward those you find to be destructive and terrible in their ideas and actions. Remember your own shortcomings and let go your anger toward others so that you, yourself, can be forgiven.

Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us from Evil: None of us will escape all hardship and peril, but we can ask. God is merciful. He sends sustaining grace for both just and unjust. Hardships come: pray that God will intervene and deliver.

For Thine is...the Power and the Glory Forever: It is right and true to recognize the place of God. He is great and mighty and eternal; we are frail and needy and time-bound. When we recognize this it sets our world aright, puts the lie to tempting pride, and helps us walk aright in gentleness and peace.

Amen: “So be it.” This is almost a shout of praise: “Do the good you long to do, O Lord! Let it be so!”