Isaiah 59:10 “We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes; we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.”
Job 12:25 “They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.”
Psalm 127:1 “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”
In late June of 1787, the members of the Constitutional Convention were at a dangerous standstill that could have derailed our glorious experiment in liberty before it even started. The main point of contention was between the small and the large states, with the former seeking equal representation in our national legislative body and with the latter seeking population-based representation. Arguments were flying and the deliberative body was stagnating. Then on June 28th, elder stateman Benjamin Franklin rose to speak. He wisely observed:
“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, sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of Lights to illuminate our understandings?”
He then reminded the Constitutional Convention of this important precedent:
“In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of the danger we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection. Our prayers, sir, were heard and they were graciously answered. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance.”
He then provided a powerful proposal:
“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.”
His advice and the powerful practice of prayer helped break an immovable logjam in our progress towards a government under the Constitution.
Today, we are groping in the dark to find political truth, and are incapable of distinguishing it when presented to us. We have neglected to humbly apply to the Father of Lights to illuminate our understandings. We have forgotten the powerful precedent of daily prayer for divine protection, which can be graciously answered by our powerful Friend. We foolishly imagine that we no longer need His assistance.
PLEASE BEG FOR OUR NATION TO RETURN TO A CULTURE OF PRAYER TO IMPLORE THE ASSISTANCE OF HEAVEN IN OUR NATIONAL AND PERSONAL DELIBERATIONS. We desperately need His assistance!
