A Prayer for Our Nation Today

By Congressman Randy Forbes

Senators used to come into the chamber early just to hear Peter Marshall pray. He was a Senate chaplain, serving for a few short years in the late 1940’s as our nation recovered from World War II. Peter Marshall was known for his profound wisdom. In fact, it is said that one day Chaplain Marshall opened the Senate in prayer at a time when two Senators were deep in an argument. They heard his prayer and later came to apologize – both to each other and to him. But it wasn’t just eloquence that left an impression. Peter Marshall’s prayers had life behind them. He hit right at the very heart of what was troubling our nation and he spoke grace and wisdom over them. I have a book of prayers by Peter Marshall, and I’ve often found myself referring to them and reflecting on them throughout my time in Congress. There is one prayer in particular that has always stuck with me. It hangs in a large frame on the wall in my office serving as a daily compass – a way of re-centering after hard decisions and conversations, and in the midst of our heavy news cycle. The prayer says this: Our Father in Heaven, save us from the conceit which refuses to believe that God knows more about government than we do, and deliver us from the stubbornness that will not seek God’s help.

Today we claim Thy promise: “If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and it shall be given him.” Thou knowest, Lord, how much we need it. Make us willing to ask for it and eager to have it.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.