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Part 2
by Samuel E. Ward
Introduction
I have not researched the recorded prayers of all our presidents and so cannot comment on the personal spirituality that might be reflected in those prayers. But I can tell you this, according to the following prayer, George Washington had a deep understanding of the basis of his standing with God and the purpose God had attached to his life.
A Personal Prayer by George Washington
O eternal and everlasting God, I presume to present myself this morning before thy Divine majesty, beseeching thee to accept of my humble and hearty thanks, that it hath pleased thy great goodness to keep and preserve me the night past from all the dangers poor mortals are subject to, and has given me sweet and pleasant sleep, whereby I find my body refreshed and comforted for performing the duties of this day, in which I beseech thee to defend me from all perils of body and soul. Direct my thoughts, words and work, wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the Lamb, and purge my heart by thy Holy Spirit, from the dross of my natural corruption, that I may with more freedom of mind and liberty of will serve thee, the ever lasting God, in righteousness and holiness this day, and all the days of my life. Increase my faith in the sweet promises of the gospel; give me repentance from dead works; pardon my wanderings, and direct my thoughts unto thyself, the God of my salvation; teach me how to live in thy fear, labor in thy service, and ever to run in the ways of thy commandments; make me always watchful over my heart, that neither the terrors of conscience, the loathing of holy duties, the love of sin, nor an unwillingness to depart this life, may cast me into a spiritual slumber, but daily frame me more and more into the likeness of thy son Jesus Christ, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favor, I may in thy appointed time attain the resurrection of the just unto eternal life. Bless my family, friends and kindred unite us all in praising and glorifying thee in all our works begun, continued, and ended, when we shall come to make our last account before thee blessed Saviour…
From William J. Johnson, George Washington, the Christian, (New York: The Abingdon Press, New York & Cincinnati, 1919), pp. 24-35.
A National Prayer by George Washington
Almighty God,
We make our earnest prayer
- that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection,
- that thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government;
- and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States of America at large.
And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all
- to do justice,
- to love mercy and
- to demean ourselves with that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of The Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation.
Grant our supplication, we beseech thee, through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Amen
George Washington, April 30th, 1789
In our previous study we analyzed . . .
I. The National Prayer by King Solomon
Dear Father in Heaven, keep your ears constantly open to hear your servant's (the king's) prayer and those of the people who pray toward this place, 2 Chr 6:18-20.
1. When they ask for forgiveness, 2 Chr 6:21
2. When they seek justice, 1 Chr 6:22-23
3. When they have been disciplined for their sins And seek restoration, 1 Chr 6:24-25.
4. When droughts come upon the land due to their sin and they repent and turn once again to you, 2 Chr 6:26-27. Teach them the right way.
5. When famines, disease, and disasters come as judgment, deal with each individual according to their own hearts, 2 Chr 6:28-31. Teach them to fear you and walk in your ways.
6. When immigrants choose to live in this nation, hear and answer their prayers so that they, too, will come to know and fear you, 2 Chr 6:32-33.
7. When our soldiers go to fight for a just cause, uphold them and give them victory in the cause, 2 Chr 6:34-35.
8. Should our nation ever be defeated by another due to our sin (and we sill sin), bring us back when we have a change of heart and repent, 2 Chr 6:36-39.
I wonder how much our prayers would change in intensity and specificity if we received direct and personal responses from God as Solomon did. It's so easy to fall into a pattern of prayer that becomes so rote that we sometimes forget we had just prayed. Have you ever asked at a meal if prayer had yet been said and then be told that it had. At such times perhaps we should pray again, and then with attention and feeling!
In the following section of 2 Chronicles 7, we now observe how . . .
II. God Responds to Solomon's Prayer on the People's Behalf, 2 Chr 7:9-22
A. God's Response Comes After Seven Days of Celebration
The people were sent home joyful and glad hearts, 2 Chr 7:9-10.
(2 Chr 7:9-10 NIV) On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival for seven days more. {10} On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the LORD had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel.
In David's day the people had rejoiced after the completion of gathering in offerings of gold, silver, bronze, iron and precious stones for the treasury fund designated for the building of Solomon's Temple.
(1 Chr 29:9 NIV) The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly.
B. God's Response Follows the Completion of God's Temple and His Palace, 2 Chr 7:11-12.
God and king dwelt together in the midst of the people for the good of the people.
(2 Chr 7:11-12 NIV) When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace, {12} the LORD appeared to him at night and said: "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.
C. God's Response Addresses the Conditions of His Blessing, 2 Chr 7:12-18
1. Pertaining to the people, God is always ready to hear their prayers and forgive, 2 Chr 7:13-16
a. BUT FIRST . . .
1) They must humble themselves (admit the sins of pride that led them to believe they were somehow exempt from following God's commands.)
2) They must pray in confession of those sins.
b. THEN . . .
1) They will have God's ear in heaven.
2) They will receive forgiveness and healing in the land.
This is how it is stated in 2 Chronicles 7:13-16.
(2 Chr 7:13-16 NIV) "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, {14} if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. {15} Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. {16} I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
c. NOTE . . .
Droughts, infestations, and plagues are sometimes forms of judgments upon a nation and the people sin ought to at least consider the possibility and do a spiritual assessment.
2. Pertaining to King Solomon and those kings that follow . . .
a. If they walk in obedience with God as David did, then David's line will never fail to have a man on the throne. 2 Chr 7:17-18.
(2 Chr 7:17-18 NIV) "As for you, if you walk before me as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws, {18} I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, 'You shall never fail to have a man to rule over Israel.'
b. If they do not and rather forsake the Lord and follow after other gods, then these consequences shall follow:
1) Israel will be uprooted from the land.
(2 Chr 7:19-20a NIV) "But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, {20a} then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name.
Sadly, about three hundred fifty years later, God would have to do this very thing to His people because of their unfaithfulness.
(2 Ki 25:8-11 NIV) On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon [August 16, 586][1], Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. {9} He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. {10} The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem. {11} Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had gone over to the king of Babylon.
2) The temple will become the object of all people's ridicule.
(2 Chr 7:20bNIV) "I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples."
3) The nations will wonder why God has judged His people in such a manner and the answer will be because of their sin.
(2 Chr 7:21-22 NIV) {21} "And though this temple is now so imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and say, 'Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?' {22} People will answer, 'Because they have forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them--that is why he brought all this disaster on them.'"
Conclusion
(Psa 33:12-22 NIV) Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. {13} From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; {14} from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-- {15} he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. {16} No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. {17} A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. {18} But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, {19} to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. {20} We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. {21} In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. {22} May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
Though technically America as a nation is not God's chosen people, American had chosen God in the past and He has been pleased to bless America because she chose Him as her God. We have proven this over and over again the truth of Psalm 33.
1. We have been blessed because we had chosen the LORD to be our God
2. We have been delivered from our enemies against overwhelming odds because we had chosen the LORD to be our God.
3. We have been saved from famine and drought and indeed been given enough bounty to share with the world because we had chosen the LORD to be our God.
Our only hope is to continue to trust in the LORD to be our Help and Shield for we are threatened by the enemies of our nation and our God. There are those who would like to see our destruction and are actively working to facilitate it. But if we once again choose to make the LORD to be our God, humble ourselves and pray, then we can trust Him to hear from heaven and heal our land. But we must also choose to walk in His ways and seek to glorify His Name in all the earth.
[1] The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Edited by John Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck,, "2 Kings", Thomas Constable, Victor Books, Wheaton, IL
