A Prayer for Our Nation

In the past few weeks, Americans have seen disturbingly violent events from Charlotte and Utah. These attacks have shaken our nation. Each headline carries with it a family changed forever, a life stolen too soon, and a community left to mourn. Every senseless act of violence is a sobering reminder that our world is broken. 

As believers, we feel the hurt for our nation, our communities, and those affected. We also fully put our trust in the Lord, as he serves as our hope for renewal in our nation. We know that life is not an accident, but a gift from God.

Scripture tells us in Genesis that we are created in the image of God. The Psalms remind us we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” And Christ Himself declared that He came so that we might have life in Him. That means every life—born and unborn, young and old, strong and weak—is sacred. When violence destroys life, it is not only a crime against man, but an assault against the image of God.

Heather and I often pray together when these tragedies strike. We pray for grieving families, and we pray for our country. But we also pray for hearts to be changed. Only God can heal what is broken within. Washington can pass laws—and I believe fully that government has a duty to protect innocent life—but no piece of legislation can reach the human heart. Only Christ can.

The Bible calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to reject evil and do good, to seek peace and pursue it. That is the higher calling we need in America today.

If we are to stop the violent attacks we have seen, we must be a people who return to God’s Word and live by its truths. Families must be strengthened, churches must be emboldened, and communities must recommit themselves to righteousness and justice.

President Ronald Reagan once said that if we ever forget we are one nation under God, we will be a nation gone under. I believe that now more than ever. We will not solve the crisis of violence by policy alone. We must recognize the battle is spiritual, and the answer is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Heather and I believe in the power of prayer, we instilled it in our children, and we have seen it change lives. My prayer for our country is simple: that we would once again cherish every life as God’s handiwork, that we would love one another as Christ loved us, and that we would shine as a people who know life is precious—because it comes from Him.

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