The first Thursday of May is America’s National Day of Prayer. This year, that day is tomorrow. There have been these days of prayer for as far back as I can remember. If I’m going to be completely honest, I have to say that Ive attended fewer than a handful of any annual prayer events that were in my community on these days. Sure, there may have been Days of Prayer when it was impossible for me to attend due to work or childcare issues, but most often I’m sure that wouldn’t have been the case.

This morning as I thought about why I’ve typically not participated in these prayer gatherings, I’ve had to face the ugly truth that for the most part it’s been pride! I say pride, because pride is the opposite of humility, and humility is needed for the first step, and in fact all the steps, in prayer.

The prideful me thought that:

*It was inconvenient to attend

*Just because the printing company put it on my calendar, that didn’t    make it important.

*If a president who doesn’t even profess to be a Christian signed the   proclamation for this year’s event, just how dynamic would any prayers be that were prayed? Surely they would be generic prayers at best!

*Gathering with people I  wasn’t acquainted with and then listening to people on the platform that were from what I thought to be lifeless churches or organizations would be beyond boring.

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch and ouch! Just writing those made me sad for how easily I dismissed prayer. The judgement my “pious” heart felt surely has grieved the Holy Spirit time and again. Since when is convenience supposed to be my criteria in choosing to do anything the Lord wants me to do? I should be thanking the Lord that this day, signed into law by President Truman in 1952 is still on the books, and that we are still free to, as a nation, do what the title of this day suggests: Pray!  

And labeling Christian churches and organizations as “lifeless”? That judgement wreaks of pride. When did the Holy Spirit ever call me to distance myself from true believers whose walk with the Lord is different than mine? He hasn’t! Instead I’ve been surprised many times in recent years as I’ve had conversations about the Lord and prayed with people of many different Christian streams and discovered how deeply He has touched their hearts. Truly they have been my inspiration to have a deeper walk of my own.

I’m grateful that over the last several years the Lord has awakened me to my lack of prayerfulness and is taking me on a journey to discover and engage in the blessing and power to be found in prayer. Today I did a search to find whether there are any such gatherings of Christians in my community tomorrow. I found none. I know there have been some National Day of Prayer events in my community in the last several years. Where was I? This year I am determined to find some praying people to gather with and lift up our nation in prayer. If ever we needed God, it is now! Inconvenient or not, we can’t afford to wait one more year!

Oh Father. Thank You for leading me to examine my heart this morning. It has been painful to see! Forgive me for my pride. Forgive me for judging the hearts and walks of others. I am not the Holy Spirit. Forgive me for giving prayer such low priority over the many years I have been a Christian. Thank You for beaconing me to a deeper level of prayer! 

Lord, I pray that Your Holy Spirit will lead tens of thousands of people across our nation to take time on the National Day of Prayer to gather in Your name with even just 2 or 3. Teach us to take prayer as seriously as You do! Thank You for the many promises and accounts in scripture that testify to Your response to our prayers. You promised that if we would humble ourselves and pray that You would hear, and oh how we need You to hear us and heal our land! In Jesus’ name, Amen!