Editor's note: Let's remember 2 Chronicles 7:14 as we enjoy these three, short prayers from The Faith of America.
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To the distinguished Character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to add the more distinguished Character of Christian. ~ George Washington
O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world: We commend this nation to thy merciful care, that, being guided by thy Providence, we may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant to the President of the United States, the Governor of this State (or Commonwealth), and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve this people in thy fear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
— The Book of Common Prayer
Prayer
Father God, I lift our nation’s leaders to You today. I ask You to guide and direct them. Amen.
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A Brave Resistance
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. ~ Nelson Mandela
On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress in Philadelphia declared independence from Great Britain. Meanwhile, on Long Island, George Washington, commander in chief of the Continental Army, gathered his troops and wrote in the General Orders that we, as a nation, serve under God.
The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves... The fate of unborn Millions will now depend, under God, on the Courage and Conduct of this army— Our cruel and unrelenting Enemy leaves us no choice but a brave resistance, or the most abject submission; this is all we can expect... The Eyes of all our Countrymen are now upon us, and we shall have their blessings, and praises, if happily we are the instruments of saving them from the Tyranny meditated against them... Let us therefore... shew the whole world, that a Freeman contending for Liberty on his own ground is superior to any slavish mercenary on earth.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for giving us leaders who gave our great nation the strength to endure. Amen.
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The Midnight Riders
One if by land, and two if by sea. ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
On April 18, 1775, Boston’s quiet streets were tense. British troops prepared to march on Lexington and Concord to seize weapons and arrest leaders. In the dark, Paul Revere, a skilled silversmith and patriot, mounted his horse. His urgent mission: to warn the countryside that the British were coming.
Guided by lantern signals from the Old North Church, Revere rode through the night, stopping at each house and shouting, “The regulars are coming out!” He wasn’t alone. William Dawes took another route, and later Dr. Samuel Prescott joined, carrying the warning farther after Revere’s capture. Their combined effort awakened militias across Massachusetts at dawn.
While Massachusetts stirred that April night, a year later and far to the south, another midnight ride made history. In April 1777, Sybil Ludington, just sixteen, rode nearly forty miles through a stormy New York night to rally militia against a British attack on Danbury, Connecticut. Her bravery matched—and even surpassed—her male counterparts as she warned scattered farms and villages along her route.
These midnight riders, both famous and lesser known, carried more than messages; they carried a revolution’s hopes. Their courage in the darkness helped spark America’s first shots for freedom.
Prayer
Lord, give courage to me and to our nation when things seem difficult and often dark. Amen.
Excerpted with permission from The Faith of America, copyright Nelson Books.
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Your Turn
America is just about to turn 250 years old! Let’s pray for our nation, leaders, and for revival! ~ Devotionals Daily