Since 1952, our country has celebrated National Day of Prayer on the first Thursday of May. Although most Christians in American previously celebrated days of prayer and fasting, Reverend Billy Graham spoke about the desirability of united national prayer to bring people together during the Korean War.
As a result, the House and Senate introduced a joint resolution that declared National Day of Prayer as a day “on which the people of the United States may turn to God in prayer and meditation at churches, in groups, and as individuals.”
Today, we are facing another time of peril. Although this time our enemy is invisible, it still represents a very real threat. Coronavirus threatens our health, our economy, and our very way of living. So far, COVID-19 has infected more than 1.25 million Americans and caused most businesses to shut down in order to flatten the curve. As a result, more than 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment. During this time of isolation, we can still come together and pray for our nation.
There are so many people who need our prayers right now: infected individuals and their families, families of those died, and high-risk populations. We should also say a special prayer for our healthcare workers on the front lines fighting this, some of whom work long hours without personal protective equipment. What’s more, government officials need our prayers while they decide how to keep people safe and protect the economy.
Many of us face very difficult decisions right now. If you are sitting at home with absolutely nothing to do, you can pray.
Pray for a vaccine, pray for our economy, pray for everyone who feels alone or afraid. Although we cannot gather and hold hands, we can still digitally connect in prayer. We can post prayers on social media and hold video prayer conferences. We can even send prayer chains over email or text message.
However you choose to observe National Day of Prayer, remember we can be a light in the world by spreading positivity. If you feel helpless, turn to prayer to fight this battle.
Feature Image by Michael Heuss on Unsplash
