National Day of Prayer, 2024
On Thursday, May 2, the National Day of Prayer will be observed as Americans unite for one day of prayer for our nation. The theme this year is: Lift Up the Word and Light Up the World! The official task force website explains that it “exists to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer… and to mobilize the Christian community to intercede for America’s leaders and its families.” (1)
Thousands of Christians will pray as they meet in large and small groups as well as online. Some will meet in Washington, D.C. In my community Christians will gather on the lawn outside our city hall at noon to pray as ministers of our town lead us in prayer topics.
“The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of ‘humiliation, fasting, and prayer’ in 1863.
“In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual National Day of Prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May.” (2)
The prayer for the 2024 prayer event across this nation, written by Kathy Branzell, NDP Task Force president, in petitioning God for our country, is based on 2 Samuel 22:29 and can be found on their website: www:nationaldayofprayer.org.
It begins with: “Jesus, we profess our faith in You. You are the Light of the world, and in You there is no darkness. For You are our lamp, O LORD, and our God who lights our darkness. Forgive us for fearing and focusing on the darkness around us instead of being filled with faith and shining like the city on a hill You have called us to be. Forgive us for the times when we have been the absence of light, allowing darkness to dwell in America. Lead us forward to dispel the darkness and bring light throughout the Church, Family, Education, Business, Military, Government, and Arts, Entertainment, and Media.” The prayer continues much longer.
In our books Warfare Prayers for Women and A Woman’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare, my co-writer, Ruthanne Garlock, and I have several prayers to pray for our nation. Of course, many are of repentance for our personal and national sins as well as some protection prayers. This one primarily deals with praying for our leaders.
Prayer: “Father, as we stand in the gap for our nation, cities, and families, we cry out for Your intervention to shift our nation into a land where citizens will honor You and obey Your Biblical laws. Especially touch those in leadership in Washington D.C., our state capitols, and our local governments. Stop those with evil agendas who are trying to bring us far from the intent of our founding fathers when they wrote the constitution. May unrighteous leaders be replaced with those who will serve with integrity. We cry out for justice, mercy, truth and righteousness to be established. Please heal our land. Protect us, guide us, and fulfill Your original plan for our nation—our home that we love. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.” (3)
Scripture: Pray for all men with all forms of prayers and requests as you intercede with intense passion. And pray for every political leader and representative so that we would be able to live tranquil, undisturbed lives, as we worship the awe-inspiring God with pure heart. (I Tim. 2:2 TPT).
Footnotes:
- Nationaldayofprayer.org 2024
- Nationaldayofprayer.org 2022
- Quin Sherrer and Ruthanne Garlock, Warfare Prayers for Women, (Bloomington, Minnesota, Chosen Books, 2020), 236, 244.
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