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PRAYER FOR OUR NATION
(Identificational Repentance)
Lord, we humbly come before you in repentance. Your Word says, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin, and heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Lord, we are the people called by your name. I am a Christian and like so many others today, I come before you in repentance for the sins of our nation. At present the very soul of our nation is grievously ill. But Father, we believe your love and compassion is greater than the darkness and oppression that surround us. How did we get to this point in our nation's history?
I for one know for too long it was my own self-seeking and complacency. Forgive me Lord. Forgive me for not knowing your Word as truth, authority, and power. I can blame others, but I chose to walk away from your teachings, convinced I could handle life in my own self-sufficiency. Although I never stopped believing in you, I stopped seeking you!
Forgive me for believing the lie that abortion was a woman's choice and her right. Your Word says, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you," (Jeremiah 1:5). How many doctors, lawyers, artists, scientists, musicians, and writers that were knit in their mother's wombs have been destroyed by the sin of abortion? Lord, I know it is an abomination in your sight. Our land is covered with the blood of unborn children. Forgive us Lord, Forgive me Lord – for not speaking out, for not getting involved in making a difference.
Lord, forgive me for believing the lie that sexual immorality was a minor sin, not too important in your sight, after all we all have needs. These needs were nothing more than runaway desires of the flesh. As a society, my generation accepted and pursued this permissive behavior and where has it led us? This permissive morality has brought us to the place of redefining marriage and the entire family structure. Forgive us Lord, Forgive me Lord.
Forgive me Lord, and others in my generation, who turned away from traditional family values in search of what a few women called "The Feminist Movement or Women's Rights". While I believe we all have a right to choose our life's goals and work, this extreme focus on working has led us to an era of more single parent households, as well as the absence of good mother or father role models, not to mention a virtual "contempt" for the traditional role of homemaker and wife. It has caused sickness, shame and has sabotaged millions of family relationships. Many American politicians have sabotaged their place in history due to ethical and moral transgressions. Forgive us Lord, Forgive me Lord.
Forgive us Lord for passively and blindly giving in, a little at a time. A little here, a little there. Now laws are being brought up that will virtually change and redefine the entire traditional society and culture our nation was founded upon. How long will you look upon us with mercy Lord. How long will you silently stand by and watch us as we rebuild Sodom and Gommorah. Forgive us Lord, Forgive me Lord.
In 1962 we took prayer out of our schools. I remember as a child sitting in a public school each morning with my hands clasped and my head down for a short silent prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. How proud I felt on Friday's when I got to wear red, white and blue. Today, many school children don't even know the words to the Pledge and we spend incredible amounts of money arguing whether to leave you in or take you out. We took you out of our schools and now we are surprised and utterly shocked at the gangs, the violence, the disrespect, the lack of educational scores and a myriad of other problems. How long will you patiently call back to you a society and culture that seemingly wants nothing to do with you.
O God, forgive us, forgive me for my complacency and ignorance. For fear of getting involved, fear of what people would think, or fear of rocking the boat, and for being part of a generation that was more concerned about purchasing bigger houses, more cars and toys, while the family structure was slowly deteriorating from within.
Your Word says, "a house divided against itself shall not stand." (Mark 3:24) Our country is quickly becoming more and more polarized. Evil is more evil than ever before. If Satan can take hold of a generation, he can control the world. He is after our youth. The violence, video games, television, movies and music are his way of molding and manipulating society to conform to his agenda. Forgive us Lord for supporting the very activities that are contributing to the decline of our society.
Lord, the very fiber and thread of our nation is quickly unraveling, leaving nothing more than a shoddy garment of what once was a great and wholesome nation. What would our forefathers think if they saw us today? Lord, today I pray, forgive our sin, heal our land and give us righteous men and women who are not afraid to lead us in Truth.
The God I serve is larger than our situations or circumstances.
He is the way, the truth, and the life.
He is Jesus.
Linda Marchinke
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