No National Day of Prayer?

Over the last few days I've seen this story in quite a few online formats. Apparently there's rumor that National Day of Prayer was going to be cancelled by the President. I check around at snopes.com, which is an online rumor fact checking website. As it turns out no such plan exists, yet the rumor persists. But this isn't really my concern. Rumor get spread all of the time unfortunately. My concern is the outrage.

What's so special about the National Day of Prayer that so many people would be outraged? I think those that are concerned about this are so out of a deep and heartfelt concern about our nation, the world and for people following Christ. But I think that this day in many ways represents that Christians in America like their faith to be simple and above all easy. Hopefully we as Christians aren't waiting for this one day a year to pray. Prayer is something we are called to do without ceasing.

I met a woman this week who does not hope for a National Day of Prayer. She is from Nigeria where Christians are facing intense persecution. Her church's meeting place was destroyed. Her fellow Christians in Nigeria have been put to the sword in the last 2 years. Somehow I don't think a National Day of Prayer is on the agenda for Nigeria, and yet her faith and that of other Christians in Nigeria is amazing. They are killed for their faith. Christianity in Nigeria is not easy.

In the story of Daniel in the Bible he not only has his Day of Prayer taken away, a new type of National Day(s) of Prayer is instituted. Now he is only allowed to pray to the king. And yet Daniel goes to his room and prays to God as he has always done. What does he get for doing this? The Lions' Den.

And still we are concerned about our National Day of Prayer. What if one day it's not a rumor? What if our day of prayer is taken away? And even more, what if Christianity itself becomes illegal in the United States? What will we do then? Will we falter? Will we say, "It's just too hard to follow Christ now"? Or will we be firm in our faith knowing that the pain and loss here is only momentary but what is coming will last forever?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, "Suffering, then, is the badge of true discipleship. The disciple is not about his master." So check the facts, but also know that if some day our Day of Prayer is taken, we will continue to pray, and to follow Christ even if it's not easy.