Franklin Graham Emphasizes Nat'l Day of Prayer's Traditional Significance
by Allie Martin
May 10, 2005
(AgapePress) - A well-known Christian ministry feels it is important to set aside a day for the nation to corporately honor and praise God; however, the popular evangelist and author notes that the annual National Day of Prayer was never meant to be an ecumenical celebration.Millions of Christians converged at city halls and in public squares for last week's National Day of Prayer to offer up words of petition, intercession, invocation and thanks to God. Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse, recently appeared on Fox News Channel's "Hannity and Colmes" show to talk about the nationwide observance.
Franklin Graham | |
Graham spoke of the significance of and great need for the annual day of prayer. "We have a lot of days that we recognize special events," he said, but went on to comment on the importance of having "one day of the year where all people come together and call to Almighty God, asking Him for His help, and especially to try to focus our prayers on our leadership -- to ask for God's help for the leaders that are over us."The evangelical leader points out that the Bible instructs believers to pray for those who are in authority over them. And apart from that biblical mandate, he says, there are numerous precedents for corporate prayer throughout America's history and heritage.
"The National Day of Prayer goes back to the Continental Congress," Graham points out, "with George Washington, when he set aside a day of prayer. So this goes back to the very beginning and the foundations of this nation. "
Congress declared an annual National Day of Prayer in 1952, and in 1998 President Ronald Reagan amended that law, setting the first Thursday in May for the observance. And while all Americans are invited to participate, Graham suggests that the day of prayer has historically been a Judeo-Christian event.
During the "Hannity and Colmes" interview, when asked why the events organized by the National Day of Prayer (NDOP) Task Force did not include leaders of other faiths, Graham remarked that the nationwide prayer initiative has been championed and organized largely by a single group. "I think it has been the Evangelicals that have spearheaded this," he said. In fact, the NDOP website states that the coordinators welcome the involvement other faith traditions in the event; but the policy statement adds that, "our expression of that involvement is specifically limited to the Judeo-Christian heritage and those who share that conviction."
The National Day of Prayer observance fell on May 5 this year. The official theme of the event -- "God Shed His Grace on Thee" -- was taken from the song "America the Beautiful" but finds its basis in Hebrews 4:16. That passage states, "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." According to NDOP chairman Shirley Dobson, in both the song and the supporting verse, the concept of grace is preeminent.
