One of the Elders at Hope in Christ, Mark Ruiter, wrote A Prayer for our nation. I thought you might be blessed to pray along with Mark for the revival of our nation and to confess, like so many of the prophets, our failures as a people to keep God’s commands:
Lord, thank you for blessing our nation for so long and in so many ways. Thank you for giving us many years of religious freedom. Thank you for giving us many years of prosperity. Thank you for giving us many years of peace.
We confess, Lord, that we have not used our freedom as Christians to advance your kingdom as we should, but rather we often used it for power, or to remain comfortable. Forgive us Lord. Waken up all Christians in this increasingly dark time. Lord, use your people. Give us boldness to stand for Jesus in our culture and to stand against the lies that our culture is saying will bring happiness. Lord unite your church into a single voice…the voice of Jesus. Lord give us the voice of Jesus that calmed the storm, the voice that called people to repentance, that said “let the little children come to me”, that offered thanks and then broke 5 loaves to feed 5000 people, the voice that commanded Lazarus to come out of the grave, and the voice that prayed “father, forgive them…”. Lord give us that voice so that people will say about your church “who is this, that can speak with such authority”.
Lord, we confess that we have not used the prosperity that you have blessed us with for your kingdom and your glory. Too often we have used the vast resources you have given us for our own pleasure and comfort, or to advance our own kingdom on the earth. Lord, waken up all Christians to examine the resources you have given us and reprioritize. Break our hearts for the things that break yours. Help us to be willing, if you call us, even to “sell all we have, and give it to the poor, and follow you”. Give us hearts that are willing to accept all kinds of hardship for your name. Lord, as our generosity and sacrificial giving increases, multiply those resources as you did the loaves and the fish to accomplish your purposes. Lord, give us boldness to speak out for your name and for truth, even if it costs us. Lord, make us thankful and grateful people who remember that every good and perfect gift comes down from the father above. Lord, as we do this, as we reflect what Jesus did on earth, then increase our numbers, cause people to come from everywhere to see and be a part of the amazing things that are being done in your name.
Lord, we confess that we have not been peacemakers in our many years of peace. We confess that our nation has often brought or supported conflict to advance our power in the world. We confess that we have ignored opportunities to work for peace because it has not been advantageous for us to do so. Individually we have often been anything but peacemakers as we alienate people, label people, and fail to show love for people that we disagree with, claiming that we are doing it in the name of Jesus, but without showing the love and kindness of Jesus. Lord make us peacemakers. Help us to see ourselves first as citizens of your kingdom and to seek to serve you and bring your peace here on earth. Help us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us with the goal that they will no longer be our enemies. Help us engage in discussions as individuals and as a nation in ways that are so loving that we bring peace rather than division, without compromising what your word tells us.
Lord, I pray that our nation will experience revival. You tell us in your word that “if your people who are called by your name will humble themselves and pray and seek your face and turn from their wicked ways, that you will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Lord, I pray that Christ followers all across the nation will humble themselves, seek your face, and turn from our wicked ways. Only you can save us.
I pray this in the strong and powerful name of Jesus, the sovereign creator and sustainer of the universe. Amen.
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