It’s Friday, and many of us are excited about our weekend plans. However, quite a few folks across the city of Cincinnati are still rejoicing after a successful National Day of Prayer, an opportunity created to allow the country to realign ourselves with fulfilling the soul and developing a spirit of hope, faith and love for our evolving communities.
The sun was shining on the front steps of Cincinnati City Hall and other central locations where community leaders, pastors and clergymen, neighbors, residents and media stood at high noon yesterday as we gathered together for an hour-long prayer, a time of intercession and a spiritual awakening for our community and for our city. The energy prior to the event was just as hyped up and hopeful as our previous reports stated the day before our National Day of Prayer (see Get Hyped Up & Hopeful story).
The National Day of Prayer, now in its 59th year of annual observance, allowed our city and our nation the opportunity to collectively pray for seven different aspects of our local and national communities – our government, our churches, our military, our family, our education systems, the media and our business community. These facets of the community are the heart, soul and spirit behind what makes the community what it is (or can become) when we pray as one. Just imagine what we could become or what we could accomplish by maintaining an enthusiasm for prayer and for gathering like this on a regular basis.
The goal set forth by this designated day of corporate prayer also allowed those of us who may not know how to pray as one to all begin the prayer by praising God and thanking Him for what He has already accomplished on our behalf through Jesus Christ. From there, one must then repent and confess your sins and shortcomings. There was time during the group prayer given to engage in personal repentance and repentance on behalf of our communities, our cities and our nation. Why? Because the Lord is quick to forgive us when we come to Him.
The next step in praying (privately or with other people) is to ask God to reveal truth, turn our hearts back toward Him and bring about a change whether it be healing for your soul or for the wounded spirit of the community. The last step exemplified during prayer is to now yield to the Lord. We are now challenged to yield ourselves to the Lord and recognize He has indeed heard our prayers and will answer them according to His perfect will and purpose for our lives. After yesterday’s prayer and any other time we come before the Lord to pray, we must trust that God is waiting to provide guidance and direction for each of those prayer requests.
The National Day of Prayer honestly proves that our city can and will be healed in the name of Jesus, but we must come together first. With strength in numbers and the presence of God dwelling in our midst, there’s nothing we can’t achieve through Christ. Why? Because according to His word in Romans 8:28 “…we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and to them who are the called according to his purpose.” So pray now and never cease. Let the fruit of our lips be pleasing unto god as we strive to develop a stronger group of people and a more spirit-minded community.
Cincinnati, how much do you believe that prayer can and will change things? In your eyes, how does getting excited about the energy of reconnecting yourself to the soul and the spirit of the community affect our city’s growth and development?
Post your thoughts and responses in the comments section below and share with us what you thought of Thursday afternoon’s prayer gathering. Let us know what else you might be praying for as well.
If you were unable to attend or would like to pray again on your own, please visit WCPO.com for additional National Day of Prayer locations and events still occurring. Visit WizNation.com for our additional reports, photos of who attended and special extended recaps of other events surrounding or related to prayer.
