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.

Back to the Top of the PageBack to the Religion Home Page