In 1787, when delegates at the Constitutional Convention were divided and at an impasse regarding how to build our government and frame the U.S. Constitution, 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin appealed to the other delegates to pray for divine intervention to help them out of their darkness:
"In this situation of this assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened ... that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection. Our prayers ... were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending providence in our favor. To that kind providence, we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance? I have lived ... a long time, and the longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth — that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured ... in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this, and I also believe that without his concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel; we shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance despair of establishing governments by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest.
"I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of heaven and its blessings on our deliberations be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service."
Those are riveting words and questions for any age and country, particularly our own.
The delegates at the convention decided not to orchestrate a daily formal ceremony, but it wasn't because they didn't believe in the power of prayer or its necessity; it was because of the advanced stage of the Convention. They still heeded Franklin's spiritual entreaty through their private prayers and, shortly thereafter, the public institution of paid governmental chaplains.
WallBuilders' website explains: "As it turns out, after the Convention, and nine days after the first Constitutional Congress convened with a quorum (April 9, 1789), they implemented Franklin's recommendation. Two chaplains of different denominations were appointed, one to the House and one to the Senate, with a salary of $500 each. This practice continues today, posing no threat to the First Amendment. How could it? The men who authorized the chaplains wrote the Amendment."
And did Franklin's and the other delegates' prayers pay off?
Answer: Do we have a U.S. Constitution and country?
In 1788, James Madison, the "Father of the Constitution" and our fourth president, reflected on the Constitutional Convention and on the founding of the republic. He wrote: "The real wonder is, that so many difficulties should have been surmounted; and surmounted with a unanimity almost as unprecedented as it must have been unexpected. It is impossible for any man of candor to reflect on this circumstance, without partaking of the astonishment. It is impossible for the man of pious reflection not to perceive in it, a finger of that Almighty hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stages of the revolution."
My question is this: If the greatest leaders in the history of our country, particularly our Founding Fathers, called upon Almighty God for heavenly assistance in the most critical and perilous of times and experienced his hand of deliverance, wouldn't this season in our country's history warrant exactly the same? Maybe more now than ever before?
If you answer in the affirmative, as I do, I'd challenge and call you to participate in two critical upcoming prayer events.
First, the 62nd annual National Day of Prayer will be Thursday, May 2. This year's theme is "Pray for America." More than 40,000 public prayer gatherings are expected to take place Thursday in our nation's capital and state capitals, county seats, cities, towns and villages across America. You can locate a master list of events around the country at http://nationaldayofprayer.org.
Next, because of the intense strongholds we face as a nation, Joseph Farah, the CEO of WorldNetDaily, and thousands of others across the land are calling up America's spiritual reserves, challenging our spiritual fervor and cranking up our spiritual warfare by also declaring a National Day of Prayer and Fasting, and what better day than Sept. 11, 2013? You can register your intent to participate and help spread the plan virally by going to http://911dayofprayer.com.
If Ben Franklin called for daily prayers, can we not set aside two days this year to stand up for our country by kneeling on its behalf?
Our duty is not to judge the outcome or discern the impact but simply to pray, as Franklin advised.
His two questions still stand and warrant an answer from each of us:
"Have we now forgotten that powerful friend? ... If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise (or rise again) without his aid?"
Two questions, two events — to help restore the United States of America.
Follow Chuck Norris through his official social media sites, on Twitter @chucknorris and Facebook's "Official Chuck Norris Page." He blogs at http://chucknorrisnews.blogspot.com. To find out more about Chuck Norris and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
