Yesterday's National Day of Prayer was apparently overlooked by the Obama administration, and some evangelicals are miffed that the day did not receive the attention that previous presidents had granted it. I have no problem with the NDOP--I participated in a morning of prayer yesterday with about 50 others, and it was powerful. But, whether it be at inaugurations, party conventions or interfaith services, public prayer has begun to sound a lot like the stereotypical lady's prayer circle where gossip is shrouded in the cloak of spirituality--but this time, it's politics, not slander that are being spiritualized. Simply put, prayer is being bastardized, and I don't think that's too strong of a word.
Confronting the pharisaical public pray-ers of his day, Jesus was clear that His followers should use a different model: "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you" (Matthew 6:6).
Another thing I've been thinking about: Why would evangelicals be upset about being excluded from an interfaith prayer meeting? Unless, like Elijah (who invited the prophets of Baal to an "interfaith prayer meeting" on Mt. Carmel) they're prepared to publicly pray that Yahweh would make an open mockery of the other false gods being prayed to. That would be pretty awesome.
Thanks to Dan for getting me thinking about this.
2 comments:
Very interesting point.
Going along with your "Culture War" post earlier this week, I don't really understand why everyone wants the President to fit into their Christian box. There isn't a National Day of Meditation or a National Don't-Believe-In-Anything Day, but there is a National Day of Prayer. So, everyone needs to quit griping about the fact that the SEPARATE government doesn't "celebrate" the one outright Christian day left and just pray.
I feel bad for Obama because he's NEVER going to be able to make everyone happy, and the country got polarized during the election. I would've felt bad for McCain too because it would've been the other people complaining.
Just take your National Day of Prayer and pray. Don't worry about what everyone else is doing and just pray.
Every culture that's gone with the whole ONE-RELIGION thing has turned out pretty poorly... so, I'm kind of okay with this one.
Thank you Lord for not making me like this outspoken person like Matt who is almost as bad as a tax collector. Thank you for making me humble and a faithful servant, for whom you are so lucky to have.
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