Prayer for the National Day of Prayer
This is the text of the prayer we offered at the opening of the Naitonal Day of Prayer on the steps of the Cook County, MN courthouse on Thursday May 1, 2025 at noon:
Psalm 24:1 (ESV) The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,
Daniel 2:21 (ESV) He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
Daniel 4:17 (ESV) . . . that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’
Job 12:23 (ESV) He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away.
Jeremiah 18:7-10 (ESV) 7 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8 and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. 9 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10 and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it.
Acts 17:26-27 (ESV) 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.
Proverbs 21:1 (ESV) The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.
Revelation 11:15 (ESV) Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”
Psalm 86:9 (ESV) All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
Ezekiel 22:30 (ESV) And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.
God, you who sits upon the throne and whose will and power rule over all the nations and all the peoples and all the governments and leaders of the earth, we make no claim of sinlessness or perfection as we stand before you on behalf of our families, our friends, our communities, our nation, our world. We do not present ourselves as those to whom you owe peace or prosperity or grace or even good government.
We, and your people, and the people of this nation of which we are a part, have at many times and in many ways fallen short of the glory for which you created us. We have chosen our ways and our interests over your ways and your interests. We have been self-seeking rather than God seeking. We have pursued the wealth of this world, often at the expense of others, rather than pursuing the wealth of the riches of the glory of God in Christ Jesus, a blessing to all people.
We have been narrow in our thinking, cold in our loving, heartless in our judgment. Where you have clearly required of us mercy we have acted without mercy. Where you have called us to do justly, we have refused to advance true justice that brings lost people to the knowledge of Your turth. Where you set before us that we should devote ourselves to walk humbly with our God, we have insisted on following our own paths, even when we know there is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is destruction.
Over and again you have entreated and warned us to choose life but we are enamored with death. We murder our children in the womb. We snuff out the lives of our elderly and helpless. We exalt violence both in practice and premise. We have lied and promoted liars to our rule over us. We have cheated and turned our eyes away from deceivers, refusing to hold them accountable to what is right and just on the eyes of the Lord our God. We let others get away with the sins we ourselves desire to get away with.
But, we are here, clothed in no righteousness of our own, standing in faith in Jesus Christ. We know that we are no better than those for whom we pray simply because of any ideology we hold. We have one hope, one plea as we make our case before you today and seek your mercy. We stand in Christ and on Christ and for Christ and ask you to pour out mercy and wisdom and forgiveness and grace and justice and righteousness upon us and upon our nation. Give us your Spirit once again to refresh and renew and revive your people that this nation and every nation may know once again the joy of your favor.
Father, replace our fear with your love. Replace our arrogance with the humility of Christ. Replace our weakness of conviction and conscience with the power and presence of your Holy Spirit. O Lord, you see us as we are. Make us what we can be. You see us in the dark. Bring us to the light. You see us enveloped in wrong. Wrap us in right. We confess our sin. Grant us your forgiveness. Let today be the dawning of a new day in this nation and in the world. We know that one day judgment will come and you will establish your eternal kingdom in this world. But until that day comes, O Lord, make us faithful and holy and just and right and true and make this a nation where, from top to bottom and bottom to top, you are loved and honored and exalted and cherished and obeyed.
Now Father, make known your will as we pray. Give us clean hands and clean hearts. Restore your joy and glory in us and then lead us to pray according to your will and purpose. Give us your mind and heart and Spirit so that we may have what we ask for.
We ask this of you in the name of Jesus, the Son Whom you love. Amen
Psalm 24:1 (ESV) The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,
Daniel 2:21 (ESV) He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
Daniel 4:17 (ESV) . . . that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’
Job 12:23 (ESV) He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away.
Jeremiah 18:7-10 (ESV) 7 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8 and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. 9 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10 and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it.
Acts 17:26-27 (ESV) 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him.
Proverbs 21:1 (ESV) The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.
Revelation 11:15 (ESV) Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”
Psalm 86:9 (ESV) All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
Ezekiel 22:30 (ESV) And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.
God, you who sits upon the throne and whose will and power rule over all the nations and all the peoples and all the governments and leaders of the earth, we make no claim of sinlessness or perfection as we stand before you on behalf of our families, our friends, our communities, our nation, our world. We do not present ourselves as those to whom you owe peace or prosperity or grace or even good government.
We, and your people, and the people of this nation of which we are a part, have at many times and in many ways fallen short of the glory for which you created us. We have chosen our ways and our interests over your ways and your interests. We have been self-seeking rather than God seeking. We have pursued the wealth of this world, often at the expense of others, rather than pursuing the wealth of the riches of the glory of God in Christ Jesus, a blessing to all people.
We have been narrow in our thinking, cold in our loving, heartless in our judgment. Where you have clearly required of us mercy we have acted without mercy. Where you have called us to do justly, we have refused to advance true justice that brings lost people to the knowledge of Your turth. Where you set before us that we should devote ourselves to walk humbly with our God, we have insisted on following our own paths, even when we know there is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is destruction.
Over and again you have entreated and warned us to choose life but we are enamored with death. We murder our children in the womb. We snuff out the lives of our elderly and helpless. We exalt violence both in practice and premise. We have lied and promoted liars to our rule over us. We have cheated and turned our eyes away from deceivers, refusing to hold them accountable to what is right and just on the eyes of the Lord our God. We let others get away with the sins we ourselves desire to get away with.
But, we are here, clothed in no righteousness of our own, standing in faith in Jesus Christ. We know that we are no better than those for whom we pray simply because of any ideology we hold. We have one hope, one plea as we make our case before you today and seek your mercy. We stand in Christ and on Christ and for Christ and ask you to pour out mercy and wisdom and forgiveness and grace and justice and righteousness upon us and upon our nation. Give us your Spirit once again to refresh and renew and revive your people that this nation and every nation may know once again the joy of your favor.
Father, replace our fear with your love. Replace our arrogance with the humility of Christ. Replace our weakness of conviction and conscience with the power and presence of your Holy Spirit. O Lord, you see us as we are. Make us what we can be. You see us in the dark. Bring us to the light. You see us enveloped in wrong. Wrap us in right. We confess our sin. Grant us your forgiveness. Let today be the dawning of a new day in this nation and in the world. We know that one day judgment will come and you will establish your eternal kingdom in this world. But until that day comes, O Lord, make us faithful and holy and just and right and true and make this a nation where, from top to bottom and bottom to top, you are loved and honored and exalted and cherished and obeyed.
Now Father, make known your will as we pray. Give us clean hands and clean hearts. Restore your joy and glory in us and then lead us to pray according to your will and purpose. Give us your mind and heart and Spirit so that we may have what we ask for.
We ask this of you in the name of Jesus, the Son Whom you love. Amen
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