National Day of Prayer Tomorrow

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. — 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

Today the Patriot Post reminds us that tomorrow is the “National Day of Prayer“. Praying for the country is a good thing. It’s all in the how.

Dr. Henry Blackaby has written a “2006 Prayer for the Nation”. Conspicuously absent is the name of the Son, who has given us the gospel message in John 14:13-14 that whatever we ask in His name, He will do. I would be remiss in pointing out that the Lord’s Prayer doesn’t end “in My name” or something similar, but those are Christ’s words, even better than any wish we can come up with and put Jesus’ name on the end.

I do have some questions about the actual content of the prayer, some rhetorical and some not.

Oh Heavenly Father, You have made Yourself known to us as a nation by Your mighty works throughout our history.

Does a nation that began its existence some 1700+ years after the last book of Scripture was written still benefit by continuing revelation? There is natural knowledge of a god: St. Paul gives us an example in Acts 17:22-31. In verse 30 we get a clue that this level of knowledge about God is insufficient. I guess it depends upon what one reads into “made Yourself known.”

Too often we have despised and rejected Your will while imposing our own, and we are now facing the consequences of our disobedience.

Does this seem a bit vague? One person can say this and be thinking about pollution while another can say this and be thinking about abortion. Does the possibility of such eisegesis in a prayer have any bearing as to what is an acceptable prayer? (and that is not a rhetorical question)

You have promised that if we honor You, You will once again honor this great nation.

I’m having difficulty searching for this quid pro quo in Scripture, especially for constitutional republics.

Moving from the negative to the positive, how does one pray for the government? We get some ideas from the first letter to Timothy above, and from the Large Catechism:

And there is, indeed, the greatest need to pray for temporal authority and government, as that by which most of all God preserves to us our daily bread and all the comforts of this life. For though we have received of God all good things in abundance, we are not able to retain any of them or use them in security and happiness, if He did not give us a permanent and peaceful government. For where there are dissension, strife, and war, there the daily bread is already taken away, or at least checked. Therefore it would be very proper to place in the coat-of-arms of every pious prince a loaf of bread instead of a lion, or a wreath of rue, or to stamp it upon the coin, to remind both them and their subjects that by their office we have protection and peace, and that without them we could not cat and retain our daily bread. Therefore they are also worthy of all honor, that we give to them for their office what we ought and can, as to those through whom we enjoy in peace and quietness what we have, because otherwise we would not keep a farthing; and that, in addition, we also pray for them that through them God may bestow on us the more blessing and good.

…(We pray) that He give to emperors, kings, and all estates, and especially to the rulers of our country and to all counselors, magistrates, and officers, wisdom, strength, and success that they may govern well and vanquish the Turks and all enemies; to subjects and the common people, obedience, peace, and harmony in their life with one another (Luther’s Large Catechism, The Lord’s Prayer, paragraphs 74-75, 77)

So we pray that the government would let us lead peaceful, quiet, godly, and dignified lives, lives which are able to retain the blessings God has granted us. We are thankful that this is done in this country to a greater degree than in most other countries. We pray that we do not lose any more of these blessings, through violence and rioting, unnecessary taxation and spending, or the subtle curtailing of natural rights such as speech, ownership, etc. We pray that this relatively peaceful area of the globe be employed to bring the Physician to the sick and salvation to all. We ask all these things in the name of Christ Jesus. Amen.

Update, May 4th: Pastors Chryst and McCain weigh in.

Update, May 5th: WYDDQ: “It presents a Father but no Son, sin but no Savior, and glory and honor but no Cross.”

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