Dear Heavenly Father,
You have invited us to come “boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” I am here, asking you for mercy and grace—for myself, and for my nation, America. Lord, please bring us to repentance and heal our land. Please provide leadership that will seek your will and ways going forward. I am reminded of the confession of Daniel as he saw the desolations happening to Israel twenty-five hundred years ago, and I feel like America is similarly standing on the brink of judgment and disaster. I am taking Daniel’s prayer as my own for our nation. Please rescue us!
O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to your servants, who spoke in your name to our president, our leaders, our fathers, and to all the people of America. To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us, O Lord, belongs open shame—to our president, to our leaders, and to ourselves—because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God belongs mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against you and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in your laws, which you set before us in your Word.
As a nation we have transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against You. You have confirmed the words of scripture, which Moses spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity (COVID-19 this time). As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. Therefore you have kept ready the calamity and have brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of oppression and slavery from many nations around the world with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your country, America— “one nation under You, our God,” because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, America and your people have become a byword among all who are around us. Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to her pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your Church and this country, which is on the brink of destruction. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the country that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because America and your Church within America are called by your name.
“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth:
for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22).
“Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’” (Isaiah 46:8-10).
Summer Setting 