National Day of Prayer, 2024

In 1952 the U.S. Congress passed a bill instructing the President to set aside one day each year as a National Day of Prayer.  As the years went by this was observed rather sporadically and often without much advance notice as to the selected day.  In 1998 the U.S. Congress passed another bill naming the first Thursday in May as the day for the observance of the National Day of Prayer.  Obviously, some Presidents have been more involved than others in leading or even supporting the events of this day.  America’s National Prayer Committee, on which I am privileged to serve, meets twice each year and one of those meetings is in Washington D.C. during the National Day of Prayer. In recent years the events of that evening have been televised. Due to flight restrictions, I am unable to attend this year, but I know it to be a meaningful and crucial time.  Our nation is in need of more spiritual guidance, than a President holding a Bible upside down for a photo opt or a candidate selling Bibles with his name on them.  Nor do we need the spiritual misguidance of a President who says he believes one thing but acts differently.  By Thursday, I will have spoken twice this week in two different churches on the subject of prayer from Luke 11:1, “Lord, teach us to pray.” This coming Thursday, the National Day of Prayer, I will share lunch and prayer with my Pastor.  Then I will drive around my part of my city and pray for each church I see.  What will you do this coming Thursday?  I realize that many non-Americans read this Manna regularly.  I challenge you to pray this Thursday for your own country, and then honor us by interceding for America as well.