If You Were Asked to Say a Prayer Before Congress, What Would You Pray?
At this time next week, I will board a plane and travel to our nation’s capital in Washington D.C. I am happy to announce that the purpose of my visit is entirely spiritual. You will be glad to know that in our country, before the general assemblies of the House and Senate, prayers are still made. So on March 21st at 12 noon in front of our political arena, I will say a prayer before the House of Representatives. In a world where Christians are often concerned about God being forgotten and prayer being removed – take consolation in the fact that we are still praying at the epicenter of our government.
You may find it ironic as I do, that while lawsuits and judges and special interest groups are constantly fighting to remove prayer, that the capital still practices it, and the lawmakers still rely on it. Is this tradition or something in which the individuals who are engaged in the political realm actually believe? I think this can only be determined on an individual basis. But there are two thoughts I have with regard to this trip to D.C. that seem to be sticking with me as I prepare to travel there.
1. It is important for us to support the practice of prayer. Why go? Why travel all the way to Washington just to pray? Oh, there will be some other things going on that day, but the main moment will last probably less than two minutes. The answer to that question for me is to celebrate the reality that though we are a nation that has obviously drifted away from God and His word and the elements of Christianity as a whole – that there are still some things remaining. It is perhaps the existence of these things that has allowed for the mercy and grace of God to not completely let go of us.
As long as we are praying publicly to God in our assemblies we need to continually support it. And what better way to support it than to go where we are developing and instituting the very laws that govern the world in which we live? A few people have joked to me about this assignment and have said something like, “Well you are going to the place where they probably need prayers the most.” I think we know in reality there is nobody who needs prayers more than anyone else. We need prayer in the same way we need God. For those who claim independence, we are created so wholly dependent on the One who made us. And this is simply by Gods’ own design.
2. I have also wondered if YOU were to be asked to say a prayer before Congress, what would you pray? Would you pray for your own personal beliefs about politics? I will go ahead and tell you already that there are some guidelines in my assignment concerning inflammatory speech. Would you pray for all the people involved in government, even those you disagreed with? Would you pray for God’s word to be incorporated into the formation of the laws that guide our society? Would you pray for understanding and forgiveness and peace and love to abide in our nation and in our world?
It seems the Apostle Paul’s instructions from the Holy Spirit are appropriate. He wrote to Timothy, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:1-4).
I will be praying for the people in government. I will be praying for the president. I will be praying for peace in the world and the goodness of our people and the reverence of our Creator. I will be praying for the pronouncement of truth and the ultimate salvation of the human race. I will be praying that all things done by men on this earth will be to the glory of God. Maybe we are not yet done as a nation. Maybe, just maybe, there is still hope for us.
“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 heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14
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AUTHOR: Jeremiah Tatum
