On this National Day of Prayer, we celebrate America’s long-standing tradition of prayer, faith, and trust in Almighty God. As we commemorate 250 remarkable years of American independence, we vow to remember the countless blessings God has granted our people and our nation.
From the ancient cradles of civilization to the Christian empires of medieval Europe, and the miraculous founding of our own nation, the entire Western experience has been woven together by a thread of devotion to God. America’s faith was especially evident during the struggle for independence when the Second Continental Congress proclaimed a day of “humiliation, fasting, and prayer” to seek God’s guidance and ask for His protection and blessings in their quest for freedom, virtue, and posterity.
Shortly thereafter, with unwavering faith, the Colonies declared independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776, setting the stage for the ultimate victory of freedom five years later at Yorktown. Since then, this proud legacy of faith has propelled our nation to extend the promise of independence across the continent, preserve our Union during the Civil War, abolish slavery, win two world wars, overcome the forces of atheistic communism, plant our flag on the Moon, and promote truth, beauty, and goodness in our culture every day.
Today, faith in God is experiencing a resurgence across American shores like never before. Throughout this historic year, we celebrate the triumph of the American spirit and the love and grace of Almighty God. Just as our Founders united in prayer before declaring independence, thousands of Americans will gather on Sunday, May 17, on the National Mall to reaffirm the United States as One Nation Under God.
On this National Day of Prayer, we proudly renew our commitment to our magnificent heritage of faith. I encourage all Americans to unite in prayer today, reflecting on the many blessings God has bestowed upon our nation and seeking His continued protection, with ceremonies, events, and programs in their houses of worship, workplaces, schools, and homes. Above all, we pledge that America will always, as written in Psalm 96, “Tell His glory among the nations”—and we will never forget God’s role in creating, protecting, and sustaining the freest, strongest, most prosperous, and greatest country the world has ever known.
