National Day of Prayer to ask
Americans to pray for leaders
As the military defends the United States and Americans try to heal from the attacks of Sept. 11, prayer may play a key role in their success.
"There’s no doubt about it, when people pray, things happen," said Kenneth Jasko, pastor of the Monmouth Worship Center, Marlboro. "There are many cases of God miraculously intervening when people pray."
The organizers of the National Day of Prayer (NDP) are encouraging Americans to use that privilege on a day of prayer on May 2. "America United Under God," the theme of the 51st annual NDP, reminds them of the tragedy that brought the nation together eight months ago.
According to NDP leaders, God’s sovereignty can guide the country through this uncertain time. The official Scripture verse for the 2002 observance is "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1).
NDP organizers are hoping citizens will join local and national gatherings to pray for the nation along with each other, members of the armed forces, laborers and leaders.
Jasko, the NDP coordinator for Monmouth County, is inviting Freehold-area residents to assemble for a program at the Battle of Monmouth monument, Monument Street, Freehold, at 6 p.m. Thursday. Clergy from area churches will lead the crowd in focusing on various prayer needs.
"All of us are sinners, falling short of God’s perfection and holiness," Jasko said. "Sin literally means ‘miss the mark’ in Greek. We’re all in need of forgiveness. That’s one reason we gather together to pray. We ask for God’s forgiveness and blessings, but his blessings are dependent on his forgiveness."
Participants will ask God to guide, protect, help and grant divine wisdom to those in leadership on all levels of government, church and educational areas of influence.
According to Jasko, residents complain about things public officials do, but rarely do they pray for those who have to make the difficult decisions.
The Freehold event will include portions on families, youth and racial matters, as in the past five years. In a fresh segment on today’s issues, Mike Shahid, pastor of the Bayshore Gospel Center, Keyport, who has a Lebanese background, will pray for the Middle East.
Public prayer and national days of prayer are a part of the American heritage. The National Day of Prayer tradition began in 1775 when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming the nation and President George Washington issued a proclamation setting aside a day of public thanks.
President Abraham Lincoln continued the call to prayer with a proclamation of a day of "humiliation, fasting, and prayer" in 1863. In a joint resolution, signed into law by President Harry Truman, Congress established an annual day of prayer in 1952; In 1988, President Ronald Reagan amended the law to make the National Day of Prayer the first Thursday of every May.
"The beauty of the day of prayer is that all across America people will be praying for the same thing," said Jasko.
Dr. Lloyd Ogilvie, chaplain of the U.S. Senate, has written a prayer for the occasion (www.nationaldayofprayer.org) that will be read at noon May 2. Organizers are encouraging the public to pray simultaneously wherever they are.