This week's column was inspired by a letter from a
friend who has been praying Daniel's chapter 9 prayer for Israel for
many years. She sent it to me with her version of the prayer for
America.
Those who trust God find consolations when they are
beset with troubles. In 1994, God spoke to me through Psalm 94:19. “When
my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Thy consolations delight my
soul.”
Last week Mary, a friend and fellow believer sent a letter to me about God’s prompting her to pray Daniel’s chapter 9 prayer for America. Daniel had just read in the book of Jeremiah that God would keep Israel in Babylonian captivity for 70 years, and realized 70 years was nearly up. God prompted him to pray a penitent petition for God’s mercy and grace for Israel.
She told me she was born during the Depression and was in elementary school during WWII years. Growing up during times when Americans overcame so many difficult years with religious fervor, Mary reminisced, “Oh! What a patriotic time it was!!!”
As she continued remembering she wrote, “I am heartbroken over what I see happening in my beloved USA today. Only our merciful God can save us and only if we as a people and as a nation repent.” Reflecting on America’s demise led her to pray Daniel’s prayer of repentance substituting America for Israel.
Like Daniel, she began her prayer recognizing we, the American people are responsible for all the divisions and troubles we see today. “We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled. We have turned away from Your commands and laws. We have not listened to Your servants, the prophets, or to Jesus, our Redeemer, who have spoken to us through Your Holy Word, the Bible.” vs. 5-6
She continued, “Lord, You are righteous; but in this day, we are covered in shame because we have sinned against You. But, Lord, You are merciful even though we are a rebellious people. We have not obeyed You, Lord, or kept the laws that You set forth in Your Holy Word. All America has transgressed Your laws and turned away; refusing to acknowledge and obey You. We have taken You out of our homes, our schools, and our government. We have murdered millions of precious babies and celebrated wickedness openly in our streets.” vs. 7-11
She concluded with the judgement, “Therefore, the curses and judgments written of in Your Word have been passed on to us because we have sinned against You.”
From the beginning Daniel and other writers in both Testaments have spoken about God’s grace and mercy toward everyone particularly those who trust in God. Not one of us merits God’s favor or mercy. This is the basis of Mary’s version of Daniel 9. Mary’s view of verse 18 is “We do not make this request because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy.”
From the founding of America until now faithful citizens have confessed our own personal and corporate sins to God, repenting of those sins and asking God to forgive us in His Name, mercy, and grace. Mary represents millions of believers around the world who earnestly desire God’s salvation from all we have brought upon the human race from Adam to this day.
In America we don’t need a
change in administrations or congress. We need to confess our sins and
to pray for God’s everlasting lovingkindness through which God blesses
all people.
Daniel L. Gardner is a columnist who lives in Starkville, MS. You may contact him at PJandMe2@gmail.com.
6 comments:
Pray all you want to, and when you vote, vote as hard as you can, but your USA is dead; it’s not your country anymore. You can pray, though, for its successor the DSA, or Diversity States of America.
DL, I agree that those who believe in God should live as He commanded or else suffer the consequences.
That neither you nor Mary see the smote in your own eyes is stunning. You would kill the mothers whose babies died within them or cannot live but will suffer an agonizing short life. You would force your religious and political beliefs on everyone instead of letting them be responsible for their own souls. You worship an adulterer who is without remorse and has never lived a Christian life or attended a Christian church save for funerals or perhaps to give a political speech. You don't think the law should apply to those in your political party.
You both use the Gospel for politics and to spread hate, not for inspiring us to be our best selves.
Her prayers were answered! The heathen Donald Trump was brought to justice! America is on a path to redemption after turning away from Satan’s pawn. Praise be to Jesus!
IMO, you can't love God and not love Israel. They are his chosen people.
Each day, I thank God for giving Israel power over those who seek to destroy them, and my belief is that is exactly what Hamas, Iran and others want and have always wanted. They want the total destruction of Israel. Next, I pray for God to give Israel wisdom in how to use the power they have.
Then I pray exactly the same two things for the USA, because of my belief that our destruction is the goal of N. Korea, China, Russia, and others.
Then I pray God will place stumbling blocks before all of our enemies and those enemies of Israel so their evil plans will fail.
Funny thing. I have prayed this every night since the hostages were taken in Israel, and the other day, The President of Iran and a few of his guys died in a helicopter crash. I see this as a stumbling block.
Now for a question. How many here will join me in sincere prayer for the same two things for Israel and the USA? You would need to make a commitment for daily prayer until God works this out and then let him do it.
4:24 Amen.
9:58. really? Haha!
Post a Comment