America stands at a crossroads.
From classrooms to newsrooms, from civic centers to courtrooms, from town malls to the halls of Hollywood, institutions, which once encouraged society to hold fast to shared moral boundaries, now consistently undermine them.
Cultural trends are heavily contributing to the erosion of the family unit, the re-defining of human nature, and the vilifying of religious convictions.
For too long a stretch, media outlets have been routinely re-branding time-honored Christian teachings as “bigoted,” while turning a blind eye to violence, corruption, and the breakdown of civic order.
Scandals, fraud and abuse, and undue influence on the part of the political class have become so pervasive that many folks no longer expect those who govern to have integrity.
At a time such as this the response for people of faith, as well as those who don’t know what else they can possibly do, is to not merely be involved politically, but to be actively engaged spiritually, knowing that something more powerful is necessary.
I suggest that the answer is to get down on our knees.
The Old Testament records God’s promise to Solomon: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
In the New Testament, the Apostle to the Gentiles instructs believers to pray “…for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”
(1 Timothy 2:2)
The scriptural encouragement to pray for our leaders is not limited to individuals whom we happen to like. Rather, it extends to all those in positions of power and authority.
When major media organizations function less as reporters of fact and more as advocates for one particular set of assumptions, public trust is undermined and people are left without a common understanding of the reality of their current situation.
Corruption on the part of our leaders is a serous betrayal of the public trust, and the very concept of self-government is weakened in the process. This is not just about a discontent regarding policies. This is a symptom of a deeper disregard of the moral order upon which the American experiment presupposes.
For the spiritually inclined, prayer is something that typically precedes as well as undergirds civil and/or cultural engagement.
People of faith are called to “…seek the welfare of the city” (Jeremiah 29:7) in which they dwell. This welfare includes working to establish and maintain fair laws, honest institutions, and protections for the vulnerable.
Intentional prayer encompasses an acknowledgement that such virtuous goals, and the fruits thereof, are ultimately gifts from above.
Now is the time to lock hands in praying for America. Any and all who are willing and able are most welcome into the fold.
Those of us who from the youngest of age were fortunate enough to be schooled in the evils of communism (or its precursor, socialism) are praying that America never falls under the iron-fisted rule. The system has a proven record of incompatibility with the dignity of the individual, the free exercise of faith, and the liberty to live free and unfettered from governmental overreach.
Communism views religion as an enemy of the state. The ideology rests on a materialist denial of God and reduces persons to instruments of the collective. Private property, the family as an independent sphere, and the right to dissent are all subordinated to party control. The result has been a systematic crushing of the human conscience.
America’s constitutional order presupposes that a people shaped by biblical morality can govern themselves under limited powers. To pray against communist rule is, at its core, an act of love of neighbor.
For what should we pray?
Pray for the restoration of families and the welcoming of children into the world.
Pray for journalists and educators to regain a commitment to truth.
Pray for judges and officials to exercise their authority under the mantle of the Almighty.
Pray for the protection of religious liberty, so that individuals and religious institutions may continue to speak and live according to their consciences.
Pray that the good people among us will model humility and integrity and that the virtues will be multiplied.
The founding ancestors of our nation knew full well that the survival of free institutions is dependent upon an upright people.
When a country drifts away from this recognition, persistent prayer has a mysteriously mystical way of leading it back.
May prayer make a miraculous collective comeback.
And may God cast out negativity, turn hearts back to the truth, raise up faithful leaders, extend His mercy upon this great land of ours, and bless all of our people.
