Today is the 67th annual National Day of Prayer (NDP) — an observance, held on the first Thursday in May, encouraging people to pray for the United States of America.
In towns and cities across the nation, Americans will hold public prayer gatherings. And this evening, members of Congress, military officials, judges, and religious leaders will gather to pray in historic Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol Building.
Here’s portion of a prayer written for today by Ronnie Floyd, an Arkansas pastor who serves as president of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. This year’s prayer theme is "Unity."
Oh God, we are burdened for our nation today. We turn from the sins that we have committed against your Word and your Name. We turn away from our contentious words and ways toward one another that has led us to division and polarization. We turn away from our disrespect and lack of dignity toward each other, and we turn away from our continual devaluation of all human life....
[W]e run toward the gospel of Jesus Christ that is the only thing that has the power to unite us together. Lord, in this critical hour in our nation, we pray for unity in America....
By Your Spirit, lead us to forgiveness, reconciliation, healing.... Oh Lord, because each of us is created in Your image, please give us the courage to stand against all racial and ethnic division, denouncing it as evil and sinful....
We pray in unity for the security of our nation. We ask You to preserve the United States of America from the forces of evil that are threatening our lives and our future....
Oh Lord, wake up Your church spiritually and convict Your people to agree clearly, unite visibly, and pray extraordinarily until the next Great Spiritual Awakening occurs in our generation....
Oh God, we stand together upon Your words in Psalm 133:1, "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony."...
In the mighty and majestic name of Jesus Christ who is the Only Savior and the Only Hope in this world, we pray. Amen.
Dr. Floyd’s full prayer is here.
The National Day of Prayer was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the U.S. Congress. Today’s National Day of Prayer proclamation from President Donald Trump is here.
