American Reformation Church Prayer Journal 72
ARC Prayer Meeting:
This past Sunday American Reformation took a slight detour from our series on God’s love to honor the 4th of July national holiday. The title was “No Kings Day.” Though it is true there are no kings in America, there is a King who reigns from above over all nations. He is the King of kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus is the ruler of the kings of the earth (Revelation 1:5).
In response to the recent No Kings Day protest, I posted, “No king, but King Jesus.” This phrase has enormous Biblical and historical significance. John Adams, our second President stated, “We recognize no sovereign, but God and no king, but Jesus.” Samuel Adams considered the Father of the Revolutionary War stated, “We have this day restored the Sovereign to whom alone men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and… from the rising to the setting sun, may His kingdom come.” The day he is referring to is the day our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence.
Prayer played an extremely important role in the formation of the United States of America. Psalm 35, in some ways, can be considered America’s Psalm. A makeshift Congress was gathering to consider the cost of breaking ties with England and perhaps prepare for war. They thought it prudent to have a minister of the Gospel come to offer a prayer in that regard. At first, there were some objections. It was not based upon seeking the Lord in prayer, but what denominational clergyman would be acceptable to the men gathered.
Samuel Adams, put those objections to rest. He stated that He was no bigot, and could hear a prayer from a gentleman of piety and virtue, who was at the same time a friend to his country. They ended up inviting Reverend Duche an Episcopal clergyman.
Duche showed up with formally written prayers, read Psalms 35, and then broke out in a spontaneous prayer, which was rare in those days. The impact was enormous. John Adams, our second president, wrote his wife Abagail an account on what transpired as our Founding Fathers were led in prayer.
He wrote, “I never saw a greater effect upon an audience. It seemed as if Heaven had ordained that Psalm to be read on that morning. After this Mr. Duche, unexpected to everybody, struck out into an extemporary prayer, which filled the bosom of every man present. I must confess I never heard a better prayer or one, so well pronounced.”
After the war was won and our Founding Fathers were struggling with replacing the Articles of Confederation with a new constitution, once again prayer played an important role. There was bickering going on between the colonies. Agreement on particulars could not be found. Some colonies were boycotting the Constitutional Convention altogether. In the midst of the chaos and contentions, the elder statesmen in the room, Benjamin Franklin, offered this sound advice:
I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall be become a reproach and a bye word down to future age. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing governments by human wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.
I therefore beg leave to move -- that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate in that service.”
The Scriptures admonish us to pray for all men, for kings, and all who are in authority. This means we should pray for our nation and its leaders. This is good in the sight of God. It should lead us to obtain a quiet and peaceable life while seeking the salvation of others who prayerfully will come to know the knowledge of the truth and be set free (1 Timothy 1:1-4).
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