The National Day of Prayer encourages Americans to pray for the nation, the American people and all in authority. This year’s theme is ‘A Mighty Fortress for Our God’ based on Psalm 91: “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.'”
Celebrated on the first Thursday in May, the National Day of Prayer was established by an act of Congress in 1952, requiring the U.S. presidents to proclaim the prayer day each year.
In 2010, a U.S. judge ruled the law unconstitutional after the Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a law suit. The suit put government support of the annual observance at risk, but an appeals court decided President Obama could continue the tradition on April 14. Obama issued his proclamation on April 29th, declaring the 60th annual observance of the National Day of Prayer.
Hosted by NDP Task Force Chairman Shirley Dobson, the three-hour broadcast will include prayers of intercession, as well as an address by Joni Eareckson Tada, the Task Force’s honorary chairman.
Additional speakers on this year’s broadcast include Dr. James and Shirley Dobson; Rabbi Daniel Lapin; Father Jerome Magat; Ambassador Raymond Joseph; Senator Elizabeth Dole; Congressman Allen West; Chaplain Barry Black; Justice Paul Newby; Dr Dick Eastman; Captain Ryan Voltin; Chaplain Brigadier General Howard Stendahl; Vonette Bright; Bobby Little; Dave Butts; and John Bornschein.
