Making America Good Again: Pray!

May 4th is more than "May the Force Be With You Day," it is also The National Day of Prayer.  While presidents calling on Americans to fast and pray has been a part of American history since the beginning, since 1952, it has been the law of the land that:

"The President shall issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a National Day of Prayer on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals."  (36 U.S.C. § 119)[1]

So, pray tomorrow.  Pray even if it is not something you normally do, or your prayers are limited to the "OMG" or "Jesus Christ!" variety.  Take some time and think about what you would like to talk to God about. If you don't read this until after Thursday, that's OK.  Pray when you can.

Prayer is simply having a conversation with God, the Creator of the Universe and the Lover of your soul.  Prayer is not just us talking, but it also is us listening.  God answers prayers - sometimes with a "yes", sometimes with a "no", and sometimes with a "be patient."  I have experienced all three, and then some.

If you aren't sure what to say, you are not too unlike Jesus' first disciples who asked Him for some guidance.  Jesus gave them some advice about how to pray.  This is from Luke 11:1-13, New Living Translation:

11:1 Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

2 Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:

“Father, may your name be kept holy.
  May your Kingdom come soon.
3 Give us each day the food we need,
4 and forgive us our sins,    as we forgive those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation.”

5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.

9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Go ahead and pray.  Your Heavenly Father would love to hear from you.

Prayer will Make America Good Again.