Prayer for the Nation

Two years ago, this week, for Hill's first birthday- my Dad gave him a Disney Cars TV and something he won't appreciate quiet as much (he LOVES that thing) as that cool TV until he's older.

It is a small book that Dad said he carried with him always when serving in Vietnam and on the ships for months at a time. It's the "Song and Service Book for Ship and Field- Army & Navy". It was published in 1942. My Dad's birthday, of all days, is this Thursday- September 11th (just two days shy of Hill's). His absence will be heavy on my heart, but so will the tragedy of what happened on that day just a few years ago.

Last night, I picked up that Song & Service book reading some of the scriptures imagining my Dad thumbing through it grasping onto words of hope and courage from His saviour during the war and out in the middle of the ocean. This prayer was in the front of the book and I haven't stopped thinking about it since I read it.

It says Written at Newburg, June 8, 1783 by George Washington and was sent to the governors of all of the states.

Almighty God, we make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in thy holy protection, that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government, and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for the fellow citizens of the United States at large.
And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can NEVER HOPE TO BE A HAPPY NATION.
Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, throu Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sadly, this prayer reminded me of how drastically our country's values have changed since 1783. I pray that God lay his hand on the forth coming elections and that we keep our focus on the "Divine Author" that had his hand on our country, our world, from day one.

Thank you Dad for serving our country- I will always be so proud of you.