PRAYER FOR OUR NATION

1 TIMOTHY 2:1-4 NKJ 
2 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

I am going to veer off our normal format for devotionals for today.  

Twenty years ago, I watched with millions of others as our nation was attacked on 9/11.  On this 20th anniversary of those attacks, I want to write a prayer for our nation.  We needed and looked to God on that day twenty years ago, and we certainly need Him today.  Maybe even more.   

Paul wrote to Timothy during the time when Rome was the ruling power, and they were anything but godly.  Most historians believe Nero was Emperor when Paul wrote this letter.  Nero launched intense persecution against the church.  He was a mentally deranged evil leader.  And still, Paul wrote to pray for him and all in authority.   

So, this day, regardless of our politics, we are going to pray for the President and those in authority.  We do this based on the instruction of the scriptures.  And because our nation needs prayer.    

PRAYER 

Dear Heavenly Father, on this day of remembrance, we pray for our nation.  We pray for our President, his cabinet, and our Congressmen and Senators.  Dear Father, we ask You to move on their hearts and give them the wisdom necessary to lead our nation in these days.  We ask You to protect us from outside and inside terror threats and that we may live a life with no turmoil but rather that we may live in peace.   

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for those who serve our nation at home and abroad and ask Your blessings upon them.  Please comfort those families who have lost loved ones who sacrificed their lives for us.  And the families of those who fell victim to terrorist attacks.   

Heavenly Father, we pray especially today for our nation and ask You to move in our land so that people turn to You and that people return to You.  We acknowledge that You, not the government, are still the greatest hope for America and ask that You have mercy on us.   

Help us know how to navigate the days ahead.  We humbly ask these things in Jesus' name.  Amen.