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Join with diverse

believers in praying for our nation

The Rev. Dr. John Hatcher

Religion Columnist

Tomorrow, May 6, is the National Day of Prayer.

We've had it on the national calendar for decades.

However, not until Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family

fame began to bring attention to its significance and need,

we simply didn't know much about it.

The Fayette area community will begin early

Thursday morning to observe this day of prayer. Our youth will

gather at the Fayetteville gazebo and pray at 7 a.m. Another

crowd will gather at noon. And then the day closes out with a

family focus at 7 p.m.

The National Day of Prayer serves purposes other than

its over-arching aim of praying for the nation.

It gets us out from our denominational walls to pray

with our brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ. It brings

the different cultural and racial backgrounds together to pray

to our common Lord. We sing together. We worship

together. We pray together.

Psalm 133 promises a great blessing upon

Thursday's doings: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For

brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon

the head, Coming down upon the beard, Even Aaron's

beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew

of Hermon, Coming down upon the mountain of Zion; For

there the Lord commanded the blessing life forever."

You miss the point if you think God commands his

blessings on certain high mountains. Many religious people

think just that.

The psalm is about unity of people who have many

different reasons to act divided. Different colors. Different

cultures. Different classes. Different!

But God promises a special blessing on people who

live together in unity not ignoring differences, but unifying

in spite of differences.

Wouldn't you like to be one of the reasons God blesses

this community? Wouldn't you like to be a reason for our

children dwelling together in unity in the schools? Wouldn't that be

a real blessing?

So, show up in the Spirit tomorrow. Bring your

entire family with lawn chairs if you wish and demonstrate

for your children and God that you want his blessings on

our community.

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