It’s Never Too Late – A Prayer for Our Nation

As Columbus Day approaches, it’s appropriate that we consider our national holiday that celebrates Christoper Columbus’s arrival in the Americas in 1492. It began being celebrated in 1892 when President Benjamin Harrison called Americans to celebrate Columbus’s landing. Wikipedia notes, “Teachers, preachers, poets and politicians used rituals to teach ideals of patriotism. These rituals took themes such as citizenship boundaries, the importance of loyalty to the nation, and the celebration of social progress.”  

What will this Columbus Day hold for our nation? Will the focus be citizenship, national loyalty, and social progress? We can’t help but wonder due to the anxiousness and controversy coursing through our nation. Is there hope for our divisiveness? Can we return to honorable discourse and respectful behavior?  Yes.

It’s Not Too Late

The Texas hill country recently suffered a drought. Burn bans were in effect. Streams dried up. Grasses yellowed. There was nothing we could do but watch. And, pray. We looked to the heavens and called on our Heavenly Father to do what was literally impossible for us to do. The Texas hill country is now lush with green grasses and flowing streams. We can’t make it rain and we can’t change hearts. But, our Heavenly Father can. As He poured forth rain from heaven and changed the physical landscape of our country, He can pour forth His Spirit from heaven and change the spiritual landscape of our country. 

Let’s Pray! 

Heavenly Father, we humbly come before You and bow our hearts. We confess that we are a prideful nation. We hold one another in contempt. We don’t listen. We argue. We show disrespect for one another and dishonor Your name. Forgive us, we plea. Forgive our arrogance. Forgive our name calling. Forgive our finger pointing. Forgive our presumption of knowing another person’s heart and motives. Forgive the hurt and harm we’ve caused one another. Forgive our tongues for setting fires that have caused hurt and pain to others. We ask You, Lord, for help to resolve our infighting and the harm we’re doing to one another and to our children. Only You can help us in this great mess we’ve created. We’re sorry, Lord. Our selfishness has grown to massive proportions. There is no one who can turn us around but You. We plea for a national revival. We know it must begin with those of us who profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. You hear our pleas. You forgive us when we humble ourselves and pray and seek Your face and we turn from our wicked ways. Lord, we know You hear our prayer. So, You’re sitting and waiting, aren’t You, on us, to turn from our wicked ways; from biting and devouring one another? Thank You, Lord, for hearing. We wait for the outpouring of Your Spirit, for Your mercy.

Our Turn

Yes, our Heavenly Father sees the mess we’re in. He cares. Surely, He’s saddened by our behavior just as we’re sad when our children hurt one another. God has given us His truth on how we are to think and behave. We are to take the log out of our own eye. (Matthew 7:5) We are to speak humbly to one another. (Colossians 4:6) We are to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6), and we are to control our tongue. (James 3:6) He warns us, “If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other” Galatians 5:15. 

What action do we need to personally take in in accordance with our prayer? Let the revival begin with us individually. I bet the Father can’t wait to open the floodgate and pour forth His Spirit! Get ready to get green.

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