NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
Today is the National Day of Prayer. Christians from all denominations all across this Country gather to pray peacefully for our nation – and in the state of Washington they will be gathering at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia for the annual National Day of Prayer. 2010 was the first year I attended this event at the Capitol – and that year it was on the steps outside the main entrance from noon – 1 p m. In later years it was moved inside to the Rotunda, and it was absolutely glorious to sing in that environment and hear the hallowed halls ring with the echoes of songs and prayers. It is an event I love!
When I checked this year to confirm the event, it is not happening at noon but I have confirmed it is still in the Rotunda, but is from 6 – 7 p m. I am very sad I won’t get to be there. I cannot go to the evening event because I will be at Worship practice preparing for our May 7 Softer Sunday Service.
So – in lieu of having the program from the 2017 Day of Prayer to report on I am going to honor the memory of the one held in 2010, since I have been recycling the 2010 blog entries for my Lent and Post Resurrection messages this year. I suspect it will be a similar format for 2017.
Reading for today:
2 Chronicles 7:13-15
Isaiah 55:6
Deuteronomy 9:26
Nahum 1:7
... “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
The very first time I attended a National Day of Prayer gathering was in Montesano – back in the early 1980’s – and this was the focus verse.
In 2010 – for the very first time – I attended the National Day of Prayer gathering on the steps of the State Capitol building in Olympia. It was a very peaceful, respectful crowd that gathered that day. That was a relief. I don’t like being in huge, crushing crowds, and I certainly don’t like anything that might be confrontational.
There were a few people taking pictures – one likely from the local newspaper – but it held none of the drama I thought might occur. It was well organized and flowed beautifully, moving from one prepared prayer to the next in perfect sequence. It began with the blowing of a shofar, followed by a brass fanfare from a trumpet trio. I noticed that one man’s trumpet was well worn – while the other two were in pristine condition.
I notice trumpets! I was a trumpet player from the 4th grade through my Senior year in high school. My last year playing in the school band was actually my Junior year – but I continued playing at church until I left for college the fall of 1963… then the trumpet was passed on to my little brother for ‘his turn.’ I love to hear well-played trumpets – and the trumpet trio was well done.
The blowing of the shofar also brought back pleasant memories. When I was in Israel on tour in 2006, one of the men in our tour group was shopping for a shofar, when I just happened to walk into the shop where he was considering his options. He asked my opinion – based purely on appearance – and I asked the shop owner if I could blow them. The sound of one of them was far superior to the other. It was the more expensive of the two – but definitely worth it. Just blowing it was a thrill. He thanked me graciously – and bought the one that sounded like 'the trumpet of the Lord.'
Ah – I am a bunny trail pro.
The verse printed on the cover of the bulletin we received as we approached the steps was Nahum 1:7 “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.”
The agenda for the day included:
A Marine color guard;
The Pledge of Allegiance;
The National Anthem sung by a young female soloist with a beautiful voice;
The Proclamation for this Day of Prayer signed by the Governor of Washington State, who at that time was Christine Gregoire, followed by a prayer for the Governor and state leaders based on 1 Timothy 2:1-3;
Washington State Declaration of Dependence on God;
Prayer for Military, Police and Firefighters;
Prayers for our nation based on the Ten Commandments, followed by The Lord’s Prayer;
A solo: “Hear Us From Heaven” by another young woman with a beautiful voice;
Then the colors were retired;
There was an ending Announcement and Blessing in which we were encouraged to make every day a National Day of Prayer;
And the event ended with a final brass fanfare.
The only prayer that appeared to be unwritten and unrehearsed was the final blessing, so it would be easy to describe it as sanitized – but what was prayed was deeply felt. There was a sense among us that the privilege of meeting in public on the steps of a place so public as the Capitol could be in future jeopardy. It was definitely ecumenical – nothing anyone should feel uncomfortable participating in. There were school kids, office employees, retired people…a conglomeration of humanity representing various Judeo-Christian faiths.
Franklin Graham was the honorary Chairman for the 2010 National Day of Prayer. This was his printed prayer:
LORD,
We are thankful for the abundant blessings You have bestowed on America. Our forefathers looked to You as Protector, Provider and the Promise of hope. But we have wandered far from that firm foundation. May we repent for turning our backs on Your faithfulness.
- We pray that this great nation will be restored by Your forgiveness.
- From bondage, You grant freedom.
- Through Your own sacrifice, You offer salvation.
- From the state of despair, You offer peace.
- From the bounties of Heaven, You have blessed – not because of our goodness but by Your grace.
You have given us freedom to worship You in spirit and in truth as Your holy Word instructs. May our lives honor You in word and deed. May our nation acknowledge that all good things come from the Father above.
President Lincoln proclaimed that our nation should set apart a day for national prayer to confess our sins and transgressions in sorrow, “yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon . . . announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those only are blessed whose God is the Lord.”
“We have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our own hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own . . . we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to God who made us! It behooves us then . . . to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”
Help us to pray earnestly for our president and leaders who govern, that they will humble themselves and seek Your guidance so that everything we do will shine the light of Your glory in a darkened world.
May our prayers as a people and a nation be heard and blessed for such a time as this. We make this plea in faith, believing in the mighty name of Jesus our Lord.
Amen.
The National Day of Prayer gathering at our Capitol was held inside in the rotunda from Noon – 1 p m in subsequent years that I attended. I loved every one of them. I am sad the timing was changed – but it may be easier for more people to participate! If you are able to go, please report back to me! I will be there in thought as I practice for next Sunday’s worship service!
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