Since July 1, Christians around the world have joined Anne Graham Lotz for "777 An Urgent Call to Prayer." Each day we have made time to repent of our sins and pray for a great spiritual awakening in our nation. Today is the culmination of this call to prayer, as we are invited to spend seven hours of our choosing in fasting and prayer. This is a day that could change our country forever.
Let's begin with fasting. When Nehemiah saw the condition of Jerusalem, "I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven" (Nehemiah 1:4). When Ezra saw the sinfulness of the nation, "he spent the night, neither eating bread nor drinking water, for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles" (Ezra 10:6).
When Daniel realized that divine judgment was warranted against his people, "I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas with mercy with fasting" (Daniel 9:3). Fasting for seven hours today would mean that we miss two meals. Is this really a sacrifice as we seek the moral and spiritual awakening our nation so desperately needs?
Instead of eating, let's spend the time praying. Anne's call is for seven hours of prayer today. If you can set aside seven contiguous hours, that would be tremendous. But you can likely make time before work, at lunch, and when you return home to spend seven hours with God.
To get Anne's prayer for today, go here. I will be following her leadership, and invite you to join me.
Today, let's commit ourselves to be catalysts for spiritual awakening. Gypsy Smith, the great evangelist, explained how revival begins: Get a piece of chalk, draw a circle around yourself, and pray until everything inside the circle is right with God. Revival will then be upon us.
Where's your chalk?
Publication date: July 7, 2014