May 1, 2008The first Thursday in May is the National Day of Prayer.
The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of “humiliation, fasting, and prayer” in 1863. In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual, national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May. Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. Last year, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations.
Like Thanksgiving or Christmas, this day has become a national observance placed on all Hallmark calendars and observed annually across the nation and in Washington, D.C.
So as a Nation we have a day of prayer, who do we pray to, for what and if it is that improtant then why pray only one day, which is better than no day at all. We are a religious Nation by birth and we should be proud that we have been blessed. But our freedoms have created an arrogance and pushed us into an independance from God. We may need more than just one day.
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