How to Pray on the National Day of Prayer

Cal Thomas | Syndicated Columnist | Updated: May 03, 2012

How to Pray on the National Day of Prayer

Today is the National Day of Prayer and we should pray for our nation, but to what end?

Why should God bless a country that has killed more than 50 million babies, parades homosexuality in the streets as normal and that indulges in the multi-billion-dollar pornography industry? What is it about America that might find favor in God’s sight enough for him to bless us?

What we should be petitioning God for is revival, not so we can feel better about ourselves, but that God would be glorified and more would be led to salvation in Jesus Christ. That prayer, offered in humility, is one God has answered in our past. But he doesn’t answer it when we are motivated by selfishness.

Look at the headlines and then look at Scripture. All of these things – wars, rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters … Jesus said these were signs of his coming, but the end is not yet. Children will betray their parents and we will be hauled into court for speaking well of the name of Jesus, then the end will come. We’re not there yet, but we’re getting close.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.

This article originally published May 5, 2011.

How to Pray on the National Day of Prayer