Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
The Baptist Paper
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds

‘No time to waste’: Looking ahead to May 4 National Day of Prayer

  • April 18, 2023
  • Carrie Brown McWhorter
  • Alabama, Church Life, Featured, Latest News, Mississippi, National News, Tennessee
praying woman inside church
(Unsplash photo)

‘No time to waste’: Looking ahead to May 4 National Day of Prayer

On May 4, Americans will gather at courthouses, schools, parks and churches to publicly pray for our nation. Such an intentional focus on prayer is always needed but also has never been more needed.

As I write this, our nation is reeling from yet another school shooting, this one at a private Christian school in Nashville. Families and businesses in several states are cleaning up from a weekend of severe weather March 24–26 that killed more than two dozen people in Mississippi and one person in Alabama.

And I have no doubt that in your life, you can think of a family or an individual who is coping with illness, grief or pain in one way or another. The words of 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “pray without ceasing,” seem to take on fresh urgency daily.

‘Fervently’

While we lift our prayers daily for the hurting, the National Day of Prayer offers an opportunity to join together in one mind and one accord.

This year, the National Day of Prayer theme is “Pray Fervently in Righteousness and Avail Much,” based on James 5:16b.

Curiosity led me to look up “fervent.” The word usually describes a “great intensity of feeling,” but an alternate definition is “hot, glowing, boiling, burning.”

That second definition calls to mind the prophet Isaiah and his vision of a hot, glowing, fiery coal, symbolic of both God’s wrath and His love.

‘Avail’

As I browse the daily headlines, I hear the echo of Scripture: “You (Lord) are indeed angry, for we have sinned. In these ways we continue; and we need to be saved” (Isa. 64:5).

Oh that our prayers for healing, for peace, for our youth would avail. That we would, as National Day of Prayer Task Force president Kathy Branzell says, recognize where God is moving and pledge to join His work.

“Even as our words hang in the air, He is already answering. …

“He takes our intercession and impacts not just the course of time, but the course of souls and the Kingdom.

“God uses our prayers to write the history books of tomorrow.”

I’m looking forward to May 4, but I am committed to praying each day as fervently as I am able for the hearts of the people to turn toward the Lord. History is being written right now, and there’s no time to waste.

Share with others:

Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • It’s a ‘lifestyle’: John McClendon encourages leaders to make disciples
    It’s a ‘lifestyle’: John McClendon encourages leaders to make disciples
    May 22, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • DR volunteers helping residents amid deadly tornado destruction
    DR volunteers helping residents amid deadly tornado destruction
    May 21, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Bill to curb child marriages passes parliament in Pakistan
    Bill to curb child marriages passes parliament in Pakistan
    May 21, 2025/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

It’s a ‘lifestyle’: John McClendon encourages leaders to make disciples

John McClendon has spent his adult life helping leaders make disciples. He is executive director of the Disciple Leader’s Network, based in Tennessee, though he plans to retire at the end of the year.

DR volunteers helping residents amid deadly tornado destruction

A path of downed trees in rural Laurel County signaled where a deadly tornado likely began a path of destruction last Friday night. 

Bill to curb child marriages passes parliament in Pakistan

Pakistan’s parliament on Monday (May 19) passed a significant bill aiming to curb, discourage and eventually eradicate child marriages in the federal capital by raising the legal age of marriage for both sexes to 18 years.

Liberty University paying Jerry Falwell Jr. $15 million settlement

Of the total, $5.5 million resolves litigation between Falwell and the university, while the remaining $9.7 million is tied to his retirement package …

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2025 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

About

  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church
  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news

Subscribe

  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel