Since 1952, the National Day Of Prayer (NDOP)has been a solid part of the public landscape of religion, Christianity in particular, in the United States. The first Thursday in May all around the country has been generally filled with high expectation and ceremony as the religious faithful call on the name of the Lord and discuss how irreligious ideas and concepts have damaged the nation taking it away from its foundational and biblically centered principles.
As you can see from the video, the prayer has become a complex legal matter. Legal pressures have challenged the celebration and a recent ruling by a federal judge may cause this years celebration to be the last time that public prayer receives the encouragement and endorsement of the Executive and Legislative branches of the federal Government.
Certainly Shirley Dobson, spouse of James Dobson and leader of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, isn't excited about this. Although President Obama, after not attending or seeming too excited about the NDOP in 2009, even refusing to acknowledge the gatherings by proclamations until late in the day, after most ceremonies were completed, has vowed that his White House will fight to maintain the Governmental endorsement of the NDOP.
Biblical Prayer vs. Public Prayer?
Matthew 6:5-7 ~ "5-And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6-But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7-But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8-Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
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