Participate in the National Day of Prayer on May 4

On Thursday, May 4, people of all faiths across America are invited to join together in a day of prayer for our nation to intercede for our leaders, defenders, public servants and families.

Designating a national day of prayer is a tradition that began in 1775 with the Continental Congress, has been observed by many presidents over the years, including Abraham Lincoln in 1863, and was established as an annual event by President Truman in 1952. In 1983 the Supreme Court affirmed the right of state legislatures to open their sessions with prayer and in 1988 President Ronald Reagan officially declared the first Thursday in May as the National Day of Prayer.

The theme of this year’s observance is, “For your great name’s sake, hear us…forgive us…heal us,” taken from Daniel 9:19.

 

Breakfast Planned at Miramar Community Center

Prayer gatherings are being planned at a variety of churches, city halls and community locations throughout South Florida. For example, a prayer breakfast is being planned at the Miramar Community Center from 7 – 9 a.m. on May 4. Visit www.gobridgechurch.org/upcoming-events/ to register. There will be prayer facilitated at the Miramar City Hall Flag Pole from 12 noon – 12:30 p.m. and The Bridge Church, located at 9300 Pembroke Road in Miramar, is planning a time of Prayer and Praise in the evening. For more information on these and other events, contact National Day of Prayer Coordinator Stella Tokar at [email protected]. You can also contact your local church or city hall directly to find out if they have events planned or check the national event website at nationaldayofprayer.org.

“As citizens and residents of the United States, and as believers in Christ Jesus, we not only have a spiritual responsibility according to 1 Timothy 2:1-2 to pray for ‘all those in authority,’ but we also have a civic responsibility to heed our president’s call to stand in the gap for our nation,” said Dion Elmore, chief communications officer, for the National Day of Prayer Task Force.

In a letter, he shared, “In 1942, my dad, at the age of 25, volunteered to leave his family and the safety of home to engage an enemy that was threatening our nation’s very existence. Hundreds of thousands of young men and women did the same – heeding our President’s call to war. As our troops fought on the battlefields, thousands of God’s people waged war in the heavenly places, knowing that the “weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Cor. 10:4 NIV) Now, as followers of Jesus we face the threats of terrorism, cultural division, rebellion in our cities and anarchy in our streets – confident in knowing that we have a place to run – not to hide, but to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16)

The National Day of Prayer is significant in that it brings us back to the way in which our founding fathers sought the wisdom of God when faced with critical decisions. It is a day that brings together citizens from all backgrounds in reverence for the God of the Bible.

 

Find prayer resources

Interested in organizing a prayer gathering or praying on your own? A number of resources are available on the website at nationaldayofprayer.org to help, including prayer guides that include prayer points and verses to pray for our government, church, military, family, education, media and business.

The site also includes weekly prayer postings by the Chairman of the National Day or Prayer Task Force Anne Graham Lotts, who is the second daughter of evangelist Billy Graham and his wife Ruth Graham. In her 2016 Impact Report, Lotts said, “God has been increasing America’s awareness of the need for prayer. Without a doubt, God is moving in our nation, calling His people to pray as never before.”

To learn more about the National Day of Prayer, and how you can be involved, visit nationaldayofprayer.org.

For more articles by Shelly Pond, please visit goodnewsfl.org/author/shelly/

 

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