Prayer - a gutsy move

The verse for 7:14 is from 2 Chronicles 7:14, "Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land." NLT

This verse is special and significant to me.  I have applied it and watched God move.  There is no concrete evidence as to why this happened, but I have confidently drawn my own conclusions.  In a presidential election some years ago, it appeared that a candidate whom I considered the wrong man for the job was winning the race on election night.  One tv station had already projected a win and others were ready to follow suit.  A very important state had all but been "called" in favor of this candidate.  Heartsick, because I felt like the other candidate would more readily make good ethical and moral choices for our country and our future, I got on my knees by our couch, with my bible open to this verse and began to pray for God to put the right man in office.  I'm convinced that I'm not the only one.  Almost instantly, it seems like the election results became confusing and chaos all but broke out.  The state that had been "called" came under questions of validity and the tide started to turn.  It took several days to announce who won the race.  It may have even been several weeks, but the outcome was very different than what had originally been projected.  It was very controversial, but I was thankful.  I truly believed God had intervened as His people prayed.  Many of you will, no doubt, find this hard to believe.  Well, I cannot help that.  I simply say, it is what it is.

Gov. Rick Perry of Texas has ordered a day of prayer and fasting for August 6, 2011.  His rationale: "seek God’s guidance and wisdom in addressing the challenges that face our communities, states and nation."  I love this guy!  I have no qualms about saying that I would gladly back him in an election.  Anyone as politically incorrect as him, must have a backbone instead of political correctness.  I applaud him and his executive decision; a gutsy move.  He's just taking his state's, and our country's, problems to the most powerful source in the world, our Lord.  In my humble opinion, that's both humble and brilliant.

Gov. Perry is following the biblical principal in today's verse.  He is asking people to come together and humbly pray for God's intervention in our world's problems.  He has invited every governor in the country to attend and to issue similar proclamations.  Not surprisingly, he is also coming under fire for his plan. Opposing groups claim he is showing favoritism toward Christianity and violating the separation of church and state.  The truth is, our enemy knows that prayerful, humble people can move the hand and heart of God.

Please join Gov. Perry in his call to pray for our nation.  As we humble ourselves and seek Him, I truly believe our God will hear, forgive our sins, and heal our land.  He is the only One who can.