Americans from all walks of life will take time May 6 to observe the National Day of Prayer, a day set aside in 1952 to mobilize unified public prayer for America.
The theme for this year’s event is “Lord, pour out Your Love, Life, and Liberty,” based on the theme Scripture, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17, NKJV).
“It is our prayer today and throughout 2021 that the Spirit of the Lord would pour out and pour through us across America,” said Kathy Branzell, president of the National Day of Prayer. “We pray to see the Lord fill our lives, families, churches, workplace, education, military, government, arts, entertainment and media, with biblical, not cultural, not worldly, but Spirit-empowered, Spirit-filled ‘Love, Life, and Liberty’ as designed and defined by our Creator and Savior.”
70 years
This year marks 70 years since Reverend Billy Graham stood on the Capitol steps in February 1952 and called for Congress and the president to establish a day of prayer. By April of that year, President Truman signed the legislation into public law.
In 1988 the law was unanimously amended by both the House and Senate to designate the first Thursday of May as a day of national prayer. President Ronald Reagan signed it into law on May 5, 1988, and every president since 1952 has signed a National Day of Prayer proclamation.
Last year, prayer gatherings pivoted to virtual formats to comply with health guidelines. The virtual format engaged more people in prayer through television, radio and Internet broadcasts. This year, volunteer coordinators are preparing for a variety of events, both virtual and in-person, including creative formats such as prayer flights, prayer drives, television broadcasts and more.
Several Alabama towns and cities are hosting Bible-reading marathons in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer. Volunteers will read the Bible around-the-clock leading up to or to kick off the city’s National Day of Prayer observance.
In dozens of other towns and cities throughout the state, prayer gatherings will be held in public venues, including city halls and county courthouses.
Prayer guide available
The prayer guide and other resources for participants are available at the event website. Also available is a searchable event page to help you find a National Day of Prayer event near you. Event organizers can register their event at the same site to be included in search results.
Those who cannot attend a live event can join in the online National Day of Prayer, scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. EST time on May 6. Details and a link to the livestream will be available at the event website.
Churches and other organizations interested in promoting the National Day of Prayer also will find promotional tools at the event website, including videos, presentation slides and shareable graphics.
For more information and to get your church involved in the 2021 National Day of Prayer, visit NationalDayOfPrayer.org.
