To Help America Speak To God With One Voice

A Prayer By The Nation
For The Nation
In an Hour of Unprecedented Sorrow

Sovereign of the Ages
Lord of the Nations
God of Our Fathers
Source of all Comfort and all Hope

YOU HAVE SPOKEN TO US IN PRECIOUS PROMISES:

that Your plans stand firm forever, so that any nation is blessed whose God is the Lord. - Psalm 33

that You are our Shepherd, delivering us from all evil even in the valley of the shadow of death. - Psalm 23

that through the resurrection of Your Son, death itself is swallowed up in victory. - 1 Corinthians 15

YOU HAVE ALSO SHOWN US THROUGHOUT THE PAST:

that Your mighty arm can bring justice to nations who put their hope in You. - Isaiah 51

that You know how to comfort those who mourn, bestow beauty for ashes, and provide garments of praise for a spirit of despair. - Isaiah 61

that You will not disregard our cause, but give strength to the weary until we soar again on wings like eagles. - Isaiah 40

YOU COMFORT US EVEN NOW BY THE ONE WHO SAID:

"I am the Resurrection and the Life so that whoever believes in Me will never die." - John 11

"Others come to steal, kill and destroy; but I have come to give you the fullness of life." - John 10

"Though in the world you will have trouble, in me you can have peace for I have overcome the world." - John 16

THEREFORE, TOGETHER AS "ONE NATION UNDER GOD,"

the God in Whom we trust, we lift up one voice to You across the land, asking in an hour of unprecedented sorrow:
Let your just ways prevail in all the earth
Cause all your plans to succeed
Strengthen those whose grieving hearts cry out to You
Shepherd us through this valley
Give fresh strength to Your people

In the place of destruction, pour out the full extent of Jesus' life
In the place of confusion and fear, be to us a wonderful, mighty Prince of Peace
In the place of mourning and despair, cover us with comfort and reassurance
In the midst of our great troubles, give us Christ's victory over all the terrors of Hell

As never before, awaken and sustain us as a nation with the triumphant hope we have in You and in You alone.

Across America, with a spirit of urgency, we pray in confidence that "You who spared not Your own Son but gave Him up freely for us all" will not fail to hear and answer us.

In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN

CALL TO ACTION: Sunday, September 16, has been designated as a National Day of Mourning and Prayer. We encourage you to read this prayer in unison in your houses of worship on that day.

Issued on September 14, 2001, By the hundreds of Christian leaders and denominations that compriseTHE MISSION AMERICA COALITION, AMERICA’S NATIONAL PRAYER COMMITTEE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS, THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER TASK FORCE