CP VOICES

Engaging views and analysis from outside contributors on the issues affecting society and faith today.

CP VOICES do not necessarily reflect the views of The Christian Post. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s).

America's Prayer, Under God: To Be Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for All

By Paul de Vries, Op-ed Contributor
Credit :

Our United States of America has many complex issues that weigh heavily on the hearts of every attentive citizen. This coming Thursday, May 3, 2018, we will be celebrating National Day of Prayer. Hundreds of different concerns will be brought boldly to the divine throne of grace by people of deep, sincere, vibrant faith. Many of those concerns will cluster around three Godly priorities in America's core values. These values incidentally are positively addressed in our Pledge of Allegiance – unity, liberty, and justice.

These three core values are certainly at risk presently. Consider this brief sampling of how these same values relate to our present public crises:

  • UNITY Crises: malignant partisanship; demeaning public rhetoric; verbal abuse and intimidation of people of faith; fake news
  • LIBERTY Crises: violations of freedom of conscience; shutting down free speech; oppressive bureaucracy; constrained school choice; compromised privacy; ideological captivity of many educational venues; abuses of eminent domain
  • JUSTICE Crises: dysfunctional public schools; mass incarceration; ecological injustices; abortions at will; inequitable employment opportunities; violent bias

Given these and other current crises, we especially welcome our National Day of Prayer this coming Thursday. Even in the days of preparation, let us unite, praying especially earnestly for the LORD's redeeming wisdom, vital justice, meaningful liberty, and amazing grace!

Is anyone at a loss of words? Perhaps! Here is an American prayer we can all join in earnestly, on the National Day of Prayer or any day:

America's Prayer, 2018

O Amazing God of Grace,

We are deeply grateful to You who already so generously blessed America. We unite in blessing You, O LORD, true Author of Unity, Liberty, and Justice, core issues of our present crises.

  • You planted the early seeds of liberty and justice by unifying many amazing founders who trusted Your Scriptures.
  • You united the American people with spiritual Awakenings that inflamed their passions for liberty and justice, expressed in the Declaration of Independence honoring You.
  • You united our nation to win Independence and to craft and amend the amazing Constitution protecting liberty and justice.
  • You liberated people to lead the Fulton Street prayers and then to fight to win the path to liberty and justice for the slaves and oppressed.
  • You united America justly to win World Wars, justly to liberate Jews from Nazi genocide, and justly to liberate American minorities from discrimination.
  • You united Americans for justice, care and healing after 9/11 – and to protect liberty.
  • NOW, please liberate us from malignant dis-unity and current injustices, and
  • NOW, please unite us again through Awakening us to You – and to Your redeeming wisdom, vital justice, meaningful liberty, and amazing grace!

Amen!

Paul de Vries, pauldevries.com, is the president of New York Divinity School, and a pastor, author, and speaker. He is a specialist in Biblical hermeneutics and ethics and a life-long advocate for Biblical Activism.

Was this article helpful?

Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone.

By making a recurring donation or a one-time donation of any amount, you're helping to keep CP's articles free and accessible for everyone.

$25/month$50/quarter$100/yearOne-time

We’re sorry to hear that.

Hope you’ll give us another try and check out some other articles. Return to homepage.

Most Popular