“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.”
—1 John 5:14, ESV
Today marks the National Day of Prayer, a time to lift up our country to God and seek His guidance.
“My father, Billy Graham, said, ‘Prayer is more than a wish; it is the voice of faith directed to God,'” Franklin Graham tweeted this morning. “Our country faces many challenges, but the most important thing we can do is pray.
“Our nation needs a spiritual awakening and it starts with prayer,” he continued. “We need to lift up our leaders at all levels of government—regardless of party—and ask God to give them wisdom. Especially pray for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence as they continue to lead our nation.”
Franklin Graham and his daughter, Cissie Graham Lynch, attended a National Day of Prayer dinner at the White House on Wednesday. Franklin called it a “privilege” and “blessing” to be part of the evening alongside national leaders of faith.
>> In 1952, Billy Graham encouraged President Harry Truman to establish a National Day of Prayer. Read more.
Various faiths were represented at the dinner, and President Trump took a moment to recognize recent attacks against religious groups: multiple black churches recently burned in Louisiana, two mosque shootings in New Zealand last month, followed by a synagogue shooting in California, and the bombings of Christian churches in Sri Lanka on Easter.
“Violence and terrorism against people of all faiths must end, and it must end now,” President Trump said, calling for protection of the religious liberty the country was founded on.
“Tonight, we praise God for our nation,” President Trump continued. “We give thanks for His providence. We ask Him to watch over and protect the lives of religious believers and people of good will all over the world. … We pray that he will continue to bless America with faith, freedom and peace.”
As the National Day of Prayer kicked off Thursday morning, Franklin Graham quoted 1 John 5:14 about having confidence that God hears our prayers when we seek His will.
Franklin served as honorary chairman of the National Day of Prayer in 2010, and his sister, Anne Graham Lotz, served in the same position in 2014. Cissie Graham Lynch prayed for unity in our nation last year from the White House Rose Garden.
