On March 30, 1863, at a time when our nation was engulfed in the terrible Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln determined that America must seek the face of God. On that date, he signed a decree urging citizens to their knees.
His proclamation began: “Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation.”
President Lincoln went on to remind Americans that the nation had grown and prospered not because of the endeavors of the people, but because God had favored their efforts.
“It behooves us then,” President Lincoln wrote, “to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.” Mr. Lincoln then set apart April 30 as a “day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer.”
In the National Day of Prayer tradition, I am calling on Christians across the nation to unite in prayer on Monday, Nov. 1, to ask God’s blessing on the pivotal Nov. 2 elections.
Here in Virginia, I will be participating in “A Call to Prayer” service wherein local pastors, political leaders and citizens will join together to beseech God to bless our recent efforts to enroll voters who will “vote Christian” on Tuesday. This prayer meeting – and many like it around the country – will be the exclamation point on the past weeks of endeavors by many Christian leaders, including me, to rouse a massive wave of evangelical voters who will go to the polls next Tuesday.
We are praying that God will bless us with the election and re-election of many pro-life, pro-traditional family leaders who respect the God-inspired foundations of this great nation.
I am urging pastors and Christian leaders across this nation to participate in this mass prayer effort by organizing similar prayer services at their churches on Monday night. I am asking all pastors reading this column to announce to their congregations on Sunday that a special prayer vigil regarding the elections will take place the following Monday (Nov. 1). It is imperative that we unite our hearts in prayer to ask God’s blessings on this critical election.
II Chronicles 7:14 tells us: “If my people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land” (NAS).
This is a beautiful Scripture. We see that if a nation does three specific things – becomes humble, prays (or repents) and turns (or comes back) to God – then He will respond in three ways. He will hear us, forgive us and heal us.
While we must be in consistent prayer that God bless our nation, believers have a second responsibility in terms of government: We are to elect leaders who are devoted to biblical values. “Moreover, you shall choose able men from all the people – God-fearing men of truth who hate unjust gain. …” (Exodus 18:21, NAS).
Please join me in going to the polls on Tuesday to cast our votes for men and women who will uphold biblical values in our land. And I encourage all readers to find (or initiate) a Monday evening prayer service for our nation as untold numbers of believers entreat God to once again bless America.
