National Day of Prayer set for May 7

Every year from sunrise in Maine to sunset in Hawaii, on the first Thursday in May, local, state and federal observances are held for the National Day of Prayer (NDP). This is a historic year as we celebrate not only the 75th anniversary of the NDP, but 250 years as a nation. In Hill City, on May 7 two events are planned.

Lunch and prayer will be at noon at the Little White Church, and supper and prayer are scheduled at 5:30 p.m. at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. According to organizers, everyone is welcome to attend these events.

The theme this year is, “Glorify God Among the Nations Seeking Him in all Generations.” This was taken from 1 Chronicles 16:24 in the Bible which describes King David’s heartfelt prayer of thanksgiving as he retrieved the Ark of Covenant, bringing it back to Jerusalem after 70 years of absence. The Ark represented the presence of God to the people.

The founding fathers, as a new nation, knew the importance of seeking God for wisdom to guide them in their efforts. In 1775, the Continental Congress called for a day of prayer and fasting, and less than 100 years later President Abraham Lincoln, in the midst of the Civil War, saw the need to seek God for wisdom, declaring another day of prayer for our country. President Harry Truman in 1952 signed into law that a NDP should be held each year. 

President Reagan went one step further and declared in 1988 that the first Thursday in May should be designated as a National Day of Prayer. Finally, in 1998, President Bill Clinton signed into law that each year the president of the United States should issue a proclamation that the first Thursday in May should be a nationwide call to prayer.

As thousands of people across America gather to pray, there are seven areas of focus for prayer: government, military, education, church, family and arts, entertainment and media as well as business and workplace.

The NDP is a day that transcends differences, bringing together people from various socio-economic, political and ethnic backgrounds. NDP task force president Kathy Branzell said “The ‘now’ generation is filled with the Holy Spirit and passionate about prayer. Maybe we’ll talk less about Washington, and more about the whole nation and all the prayers being lifted up. We need them…”

By establishing a NDP by presidential proclamation each year, it shows that people at the highest level of government believe prayer is just as important today as it was for the founding fathers. The founders sought the wisdom of God when facing difficult decisions affecting people and processes of our country. NDP organizers hope leaders in our modern era will do likewise.

For those unable to attend a local event May 7, there will be an opportunity to livestream a prayer event in Washington D.C. from 6-7:30 p.m. Mountain Time at nationaldayofprayer.org or Facebook @natlprayer.