Why we Take Time to Pray on the National Day of Prayer

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1 Chronicles 7:14, “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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

In 716 BC, King Hezekiah called a national assembly to celebrate the Lord’s Passover. Hezekiah was a king dedicated to God and to the spiritual progress of the nation of Judah, so he sent letters via courier, throughout Israel and Judah inviting the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel.

The letters said:

“O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel… Do not be like your ancestors and relatives who abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and became an object of derision, as you yourselves can see. ⁸Do not be stubborn, as they were, but submit yourselves to the Lord. Come to his Temple, which he has set apart as holy forever. Worship the Lord your God so that his fierce anger will turn away from you… For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful. If you return to him, he will not continue to turn his face from you.”

2 Chronicles 30:6-9

What beautiful promises were made for those willing to humble themselves. To not follow the ways of their forefathers or the majority who were currently ignoring the ways of God – but to instead submit themselves wholeheartedly to the Lord.

The Bible tells us that most of the people responded by scorning and ridiculing the couriers (v10) However, some of the people humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem.” (v11)

As I read this passage, I immediately think of the parallels with the National Day of Prayer.

Just as the King annually called for a great assembly to honor the faithfulness of God in the Passover, the National Day of Prayer is a proclamation, issued by the President, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. Originally designated by the Congress, the people are asked to turn to God in prayer.

I fear that many of us will be like the majority described in the Bible who laughed at the idea of assembling for prayer. Or perhaps we’ll get caught up in the business of the day and forget.

My prayer is that we’ll respond like the ones who “humbled themselves to seek the face of God on behalf of their land.”

The result of the people coming together for prayer – “God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, His holy dwelling place.”

As we gather for prayer this week, we will gather separately in our individual corners of the world. Yet as we pray, may we pray in one heart. May we seek repentance from our sin. And just like He did in 2 Chronicles 30, may God hear us. May our prayer reach heaven, His holy dwelling place. And in turn, may He forgive our sin and heal our land.

It’s starts with us – those of us called by His Name…