Five summers ago, my then 12-year-old grandson Daniel and I took a road trip East. We visited Washington, D.C., with my sister and walked the National Mall, seeing the Lincoln and Washington Monuments. About dusk, we came to an open area with a large pavilion with a  sign saying, “President’s Own U.S. Marine Band in Concert at 8 p.m.” People were just beginning to gather, and we found perfect seats on a concrete ledge. The delightful music that evening further enhanced our feelings of national pride and the awe of being part of this great nation.

Today we celebrate our nation’s birth. We enjoy freedoms that were certainly not free. Some men and women gave their lives; others invested their fortunes and devoted much time and energy to build a lasting foundation for the new nation. Now, 240 years later, we see the fabric that made this nation great being torn apart. We no longer base some of our laws on God’s Word. Instead of “One nation under God,” we serve the gods of greed, deception, materialism, and lust. We forgot the Psalmist David’s admonition in Psalm 33:12: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,” and Solomon’s advice in Psalm 127:1: “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.”

Sometime today will you join me in praying for our great nation? Our prayer must be based on 2 Chronicles 7:1: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” The apostle Paul tells us that we also should pray for our leaders: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Several months ago I learned of a free app, Give Him 15, that helps with praying daily for our nation. This is today’s prayer from that app: “Father, I thank You for a founding document that honors You, honors life and honors the equality of people. I thank You for founders that looked to You for the words and justification to remove themselves from ungodly rule and to set up a nation out from under oppression. I lift our current government leaders to You (list as many by name as you can). Please lead them by Your sovereign guidance, or remove them and replace them with those that can live according to our founding document. I worship You, Father, in the Name of Jesus. Amen.”

We honor those today who serve to keep our nation free. As citizens and as widows, our contribution for freedom can be daily prayer for God’s mercy and grace to surround us as we face these troubling times.