Tuesday, September 11, 2007

A Prayer for Our Nation


Hebrews 4:14-16 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

As our nation was attacked six years ago today on September 11, 2001, we heard stories of survival, hope, and heroics come from that great tragedy. One of the most touching stories I remember was when a news reporter interviewed the wife and small son of a man who worked in the World Trade Center.

When the reporter asked the lady if she had heard from her husband before the trade center went down, she said, “Yes, he emailed us. He said, ‘My building has been hit by a plane. I don’t think I’ll be home tonight, but I will see you in Heaven.’” The reporter then said to the little boy, “And how are you doing?” He replied, “I miss my dad, but I will see him in Heaven because he was saved.”

All of us were shocked and horrified on that tragic day. I’m sure we could all name the place and time when we first heard the reports of the attack. The pain and devastation were so great that no human words seemed accurate. Even today, the pain seems fresh as we take time to look back and remember. Many people are still looking for hope and encouragement. But as we see in our verses today, the only source of hope during difficult times is our Lord. God provides hope in time of need. We must simply seek His face in prayer.

With our nation facing a time of war and difficulties, we must spend time each day in prayer for our nation. We must pray that America would come back to her roots and return to God. Our nation is great because God has blessed us, but as we see a move away from God, our only hope to remain great is to return to Him.

Samuel Adams, one of our founding fathers, made this statement on July 6, 1776: “The right of freedom is the gift of almighty God; the principles are clearly given in the New Testament.” Although many people in our culture seek to overlook it, our nation was founded on the Word of God by men, many of whom, believed in God. We must pray each day that we as a nation would have revival.

We must not only pray for our nation, we must continue reaching out to others around us. In the days following the attacks, it was a blessing to see people from all walks of life banding together to help the hurting. There were no age, race, or status barriers; everyone was an American. Even so, today we must not become so comfortable in our routines of life that we fail to reach out to others around us. There are people who pass through our lives who are hurting and who need the Gospel. We must pray for them and we must reach out to them.

On this sad day of remembrance, we can have hope. We know that God is in control and that He has a plan for our lives and for our nation. We must trust Him and we must pray for our land. Are you spending time each day in prayer for America? We must pray for our land each day. Also, we must continue reaching out to others with the Gospel of Christ. The only way our land will see revival is if we as Christians are obeying God by spreading His Word. Spend time with God right now. Ask Him to help guide and protect our nation. Pray for wisdom for our President and national leaders. Also, ask Him for strength and courage in telling others of Him today.
By: Dr. Paul Chappell

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