National Day of Prayer

Today is National Day of Prayer. Christians across the country are gathering together in churches, schools, parks, and many public places to pray together for our nation. Unfortunately, this may be the last official National Day of Prayer our nation will see. Last month, some 58 years after President Truman signed a bill proclaiming a National Day of Prayer, a federal judge declared the law unconstitutional. That federal judge just so happens to be from Wisconsin (need I mention that she's a liberal??). On April 15, U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Crabb ruled that the 1952 law creating the National Day of Prayer violates the ban on government-backed religion. In her ruling she wrote, "Its sole purpose is to encourage all citizens to engage in prayer, an inherently religious exercise that serves no secular function. In this instance, the government has taken sides on a matter that must be left to individual conscience."

Ah yes, the good separation of church and state debate. While I may have my disagreements with the practices, beliefs, and governance of President Obama, I do applaude him for appealing this ruling. While Obama has scaled back White House participation in the National Day of Prayer (including cancelling this year's public ceremony) he did encourage the nation to join together to pray for continued "guidance, grace, and protection" of our nation's leaders and the challenges they face.

So while Wisconsin as a state may not be observing the National Day of Prayer, Christian churches across the state are. On Sunday our pastor so graciously pointed out that no ruling could ever stop a church from organizing its own Day of Prayer. Tonight our church will join with all other churches in our county to host the Ozaukee County Day of Prayer. There is a community choir performing and various churches, those of different faiths, will join together to prayer for our nation and its leaders. I pray that today, Judge Crabb (or "Judge Crabby" as I've so fondly nicknamed her) will see and feel the power of the Christian community.