In 1620, the Pilgrims had not seen rain for three months. Their crops were failing. William Bradford, their governor, proclaimed a fast. They fasted and prayed and that night it rained, saving them from possible starvation. In 1775, the Continental Congress of the American colonies, issued a proclamation asking all the colonies to fast and pray to God for England to cease its oppressive practices against them. In 1778, during the Revolutionary War, George Washington asked his soldiers to fast and pray on May 6th for victory against the British. Lincoln asked the nation to pray during the Civil War. And in 1952, the Congress and President Harry Truman created the National Day of Prayer to be held on the first Thursday of the month of May, asking Americans to stop and pray for the nation. This tradition continues each first Thursday in May where Congressional leaders and others gather to pray for the nation. Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush both hosted events at the White House for the National Day of Prayer while they served as President.
A call for the nation to pray is not a new thing. It is an integral part of our history. Our Founding Fathers saw it as part of our successful birth and growth. They believed that depending on God was necessary.
Today, many find this quite offensive. That our national leaders would bring spirituality to the forefront during a national crisis. It is the worn out argument of the separation of church and state.
The Founding Fathers wanted a true separation of church and state but their reference was the Church of England and the British crown. The Founding Fathers did not want to create a federal government that was attached to a specific church like the British had. The British crown persecuted Christians who were not a part of the Church of England. This was the reason that the Pilgrims left England. They were persecuted for their beliefs.
If alive today, the Founding Fathers would be appalled by the interpretation of what they said and did about religion and the government. If these men were so against religion and government mixing at all, why did they ask everyone to fast and pray before and during the Revolution? Why did the first Congress make a proclamation that after George Washington’s first inauguration, that they would all go to Trinity Church, a few blocks away, and hold a prayer service? And why did President Truman and Congress create a National Day of Prayer if it was a supposed violation of the Constitution?
A call to our nation to pray is not a demand for the nation to pray. One has the right to participate or the right not to. But those who do not pray want those of us who do pray, to do it privately and not involving our government. They want us to go off in a corner and secretly do it. But the Bible is filled with many examples of public prayer. When disaster strikes or God’s people are engaged in war or some national catastrophe is upon them, in the Bible, God’s people gather and pray. During times of national crisis, we need national prayer to God. The Founding Fathers knew and understood this principle.
President Trump called the nation last Sunday, September 3, to a National Day of Prayer for the victims of Hurricane Harvey. This is not an endorsement of Donald Trump, this is an endorsement of his call to us as a nation to pray. God will honor the prayers of a nation that is crying out to Him regardless of who is the president. May God richly bless the people of Texas and the surrounding area that are suffering from the storm.
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