I don’t
particularly care to watch presidential debates. I squirm. I fret. I feel
uncomfortable and often annoyed. For me, there’s no sitting down with a bowl of
popcorn and enjoying the show. In fact, my tendency is to feel despair about
the condition of our nation and some of the people who represent it with their
political ideologies.
That’s why I felt
called to do what I know best and represents the most hope for the future. I journeyed
to Washington, D.C. in early October with one mission in mind—to pray and ask
God for His grace and mercy on our nation. I joined 300 people from all 50
states to spend four days walking and praying around our nation’s Capitol. We
didn’t come to pray for a particular candidate’s success. We simply prayed for
God to grace us with an interruption of heaven, an outpouring of His Spirit,
and a fresh spiritual awakening for our nation.
My time there was both physically exhausting and spiritually rejuvenating. We
walked miles to pray at various sites. At times we prayed in groups; other times
I walked and prayed alone. As the Lord led us, we prayed with faith.
On one day all
300 of us were dispersed throughout the Senate and House of Representative
offices to pray with our government leaders’ staffs. We made appointments ahead
of time to let the staffs know we were coming—and in every instance we were
graciously received. Although the Congress members themselves were on recess,
we were blessed to pray with the people who work behind the scenes. One
particularly liberal Senator’s staff was somewhat suspicious when we arrived,
but by the time we finished praying for them and blessing them—it was clear
that their hearts had been warmed. In fact, the chief counsel of this staff
contacted us a week later with another prayer request!
In addition, we
spent time worshiping at "David's Tent," which is a large tent that
has been pitched on the Ellipse - technically the White House property. This
tent will be there for the 40 days prior to the elections with 24/7 worship.
There is a stage set up at one end with speakers that broadcast live worship
music as far as the Washington Monument. This means that for 40 days, night and
day, there is continuous worship being offered to God - and I suspect you might
even be able to hear it on the White House lawn. I am amazed that they could
get a permit for this - another indicator that God is pouring out His favor to
those who are willing to sacrificially pray!
Some people might
believe that God has given up on this nation, but I don't believe that's true.
I believe He is calling more and more of His people to pray with hope and
humility because He wants to pour out another great revival and spiritual
awakening in our nation. The week in D.C. strengthened that belief in my heart.
Dave Butts,
chairman of the National Prayer Committee, shared a passage of Scripture that
has stayed with me and continues to give hope—even when I’m watching
presidential debates! In Jeremiah 14-15, God told Jeremiah to not bother to
pray for the nation of Judah, as He was determined to carry out His judgment
because of their rebellion and sin. In fact, God said that even if Moses and
Samuel prayed for mercy, God would not listen. It was time for judgment to be
carried out—with the hope of repentance and restoration to come later.
But God has not
told His people today to stop praying for this nation. He called exactly 300 of
us to come to D.C. to pray like Gideon’s army. He’s calling more and more
people every day to fast and pray – especially in these last days leading up to
the elections. Whatever the outcome, God’s heart is to answer the cries of His
people with perhaps the greatest move of revival we’ve ever known as a nation.
I believe that.
I agree with
Dave’s assessment of our nation at this moment in history: "We are in the
midst of the most massive movement of prayer ever in the U.S. It's happening
now - and it's accelerating."
This is going to
be way better than watching a debate with a bowl of popcorn.
