May 7 is National Day of Prayer

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

EAST TEXAS – If ever there was a time for a National Day of Prayer, this is it. With COVID-19 ravaging the globe, partisan political beliefs pitting neighbor against neighbor and an economy teetering on the brink of collapse, a day of prayer may just be the answer.

Fortunately, next week on Thursday, May 7, people across the United States will come together as they turn to God in prayer and meditation on the National Day of Prayer.    

According to the website, www.nationaldayofprayer.org, “The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman.”

Each year, people gather across our nation, in over 60,000 local community events to pray together for America. While the number of people gathering may be different this year, the prayers we pray will be multiplied and amplified through new and creative approaches combined with unprecedented access to digital platforms. In homes, neighborhoods, communities, cities, states, the nation and the world, observing recommended ‘social distancing’ measures, the National Day of Prayer coordinators are planning to mobilize millions in unified, public prayer for America.

Focusing on using these digital platforms, this year’s ‘virtual’ observances have the potential to become the largest prayer gathering in U.S. history — with millions praying together, individually.

Kathy Branzell, president of the National Day of Prayer task force, put it this way, “Unprecedented times call for unprecedented prayer. This year’s virtual National Day of Prayer observance may have more prayer — and more ‘pray-ers’ — than ever before.”

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].