Bring words with you and follow me

Hey y’all,

Like me, you may have read the following prayer before. Like me, you may want to read it again. It  was offered for our nation over the country’s radio airwaves by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 6, 1944, the eve of D-Day as Allied troops were invading German-occupied Europe.

I don’t post it to start a wearying political discussion on the strengths and weaknessess of the warring parties of Washington, nor their virtues and sins. If you want to have that chat, I politely ask you to have it somewhere else. Instead, during the trying times we find ourselves in, I simply want to draw attention to a day only sixty some odd years ago when the leader of our country not only called out to Almighty God publicly, but felt comfortable that he wouldn’t get hammered for doing so. Please take a moment to read this prayer, and if you’re a praying soul, offer yours for our nation below it.

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph. They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest — until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home. Some will never return.

 Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom. And for us at home — fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them — help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too — strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces. And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keeness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment — let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose. With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy.

Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace — a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil. Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt – June 6, 1944

Please offer your prayers for our nation below. It’d be my honor to read them aloud during my early morning devotion tomorrow.

Hugs,
Shellie

Comments

  • Shellie
    July 14, 2011

    It has been my honor and great blessing to lift up your prayers this morning. Thank you, Paula. Thank you, Faye. Blessings to you.

  • July 13, 2011

    Almighty God, we need You now, more than ever. We need your wisdom, your forgiveness and your grace. We need unity, Father. While we may never agree, make us one.
    I ask You to help our leaders: our president, all the members of our Congress, those who lead our state and local governments. Thank You for these men and women who serve. Please protect their families, their marriages and their lives. Please give each a better understanding of Who You are and Your will for our nation.

    Thank You for the men and women who have served in our military in peacetime and in war, those young and old.

    Thank You for those who now serve both here and abroad. Give each of them a measure of the peace and strength that only You can give as they strive for the nation. Grant them courage for each day.

    Be glorified, Lord.

  • Paula Cribb
    July 13, 2011

    Father,God of our founding fathers,I just want to thank you for the freedoms we have known and still continue to know.We have almost forgotten YOU,yet YOU in your glorious mercies see fit to give us opportunity with every sunrise to right the wrongs.Help us,Abba Father to come back to our first Love,the ONLY ONE who has sustained us,will sustain us until YOU come and take us to your side.Father forgive my shortcomings,our shortcomings but most of all Daddy,forgive us for forgetting where we REALLY come from.YOU.I love you Daddy just as YOU love me more than life,you proved it so long ago on a cross.Heal your people,heal our minds,restore our nation back to where it once was..one nation UNDER GOD.Amen……..

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.