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March 29 Fifth Sunday of Lent A Prayer For Our Nation

When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish there are shouts of joy. ~Proverbs 11:10

For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure. ~Proverbs 11:14

When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood the wicked’s final destiny. Surely you place them on slippery ground. You cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! As a dream when one awakes, so when You rise, O Lord, You will despise them as fantasies.” ~Psalm 73:16-20

Most of us waking up this morning are not going to be doing what we want to be doing. We want to be in worship and fellowship with others. It’s a poor substitute to just have a message from the pastor on our computer or phone screen. We long to be in community in God’s House.

Most of what is being addressed in today’s scripture has been said before. Besides, it’s hard to know, is the virus really wicked, or just a germ that is being very disruptive of all our lives at present? What I do know is that our national leaders are not all on the same page about how to deal with all that is going on. We will get through this and, when we do, I’m sure there will be rejoicing from all sectors.

Rather than belabor points that we have already covered, I thought that today, it would be good for us to use these verses as a guide to be in prayer that the leaders and advisers are wise with God’s wisdom and righteous in their goals for our nation. Let’s consider this time this morning as a kind of fast from gathering to be on our knees not just for this virus, but to pray about so many ills that are hurting our nation, from selfishness to poverty and all the social, moral, spiritual and physical maladies God brings to mind for us to lay before Him in our prayer this day.

Will you join me?

Prayer: Lord in Your word you have caused it to be written that if your people are suffering, and they repent from selfish idolatry, in whatever form that may take, and they turn to you and pray, then you will listen and heal our land. So, we are crying out to You now Lord! I also note that, in Bible history, and down through history after that, You have often let us see that any nation’s leader’s attitude toward you has a profound impact on the whole population for good or ill. So, we pray for our nation’s leaders, and all nations’ leaders, that they will seek Your face and pray with us. We pray for them to turn to You and be led by Your wisdom. May they hear and receive good and godly guidance from many believing advisers.

We thank You for the ones who already know You and are praying with us for healing in the land and praying for wisdom to lead through this difficult time. We pray, Lord, give them the wisdom that will save the day! We pray for the ones who are wicked, that they will have their eyes opened to see the truth, to see their sin and to repent before they are swept away in destruction, taking so many innocents along with them! May they hear and receive good and godly guidance from many believing advisers.

Father, hear our prayer, come quickly and help us! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Song: 
Heal Our Land

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