About 30 people encircled the flagpole at First Baptist Church in Charleston to observe Thursday's National Day of Prayer.
As the United States and Christian flags stood sentinel over the noontime prayer meeting, First Baptist pastor Joe May commented on the humility that each person exhibited by the simple act of gathering in public to profess their faith.
He read a scripture commonly applied to these events, 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
May continued to read verses 15-18 of 2 Chronicles chapter 7: "Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel."
After remarks, May asked that everyone join hands to pray, saying that anyone who felt led to utter a prayer would be welcome to do so in tandem — an invitation accepted by several in the crowd.
The National Day of Prayer has been observed since 1952 and is held on the first Thursday in May each year. It is a day for people of all faiths to come together and pray for the leaders and citizens of the nation.
The theme of the 2023 National Day of Prayer is, "Pray fervently in righteousness and avail much," based on James 5:16B: "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."
To read more about the observance, visit the National Day of Prayer Task Force website.
In the opening paragraph of his 2023 proclamation for National Day of Prayer, President Joe Biden wrote, "In periods of peace and prosperity and in times of struggle and strife, countless Americans turn to prayer to seek guidance, bolster our faith, and brace our spirits when we need it most. Prayer is both a personal and communal act — composed of our most intimate thoughts and a practice observed by multitudes across our diverse Nation in every language, culture, religion, and belief system. On this National Day of Prayer, we recognize the profound power of prayer, grounded in deep humility and hope."
The full text of the president's 2023 proclamation may be read here.
