Franklin Graham on National Day of Prayer: Ask God to ‘Turn the Heart of This Nation Back to Him’ 

Rev. Franklin Graham is calling Christians in the United States to kneel before God on the National Day of Prayer as the country is “in a free fall, morally and spiritually.”

“Taking a stand for our country begins by going to our knees in prayer before Almighty God,” the reverend said in a Facebook post on Thursday. “Today is the #NationalDayofPrayer, and for the past 71 years, Christians across our country have gathered on this day to ask God for His help.”

Graham continued: 

Our country is in trouble—we’re in a free fall, morally and spiritually. We need to pray for our families, schools, churches, law enforcement, military, judges, and our political leadership in Washington. I hope you’ll join me in asking God to intervene and turn the heart of this nation back to Him. We also need to pray for world leaders, and for an end to the deadly conflict in Ukraine. The Word of God promises “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer” (1 Peter 3:12).

Graham referenced his father, the late great Rev. Billy Graham, noting that his father famously said that “a prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian.” He also highlighted his father’s words: that prayer is “the Christian’s greatest weapon.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Franklin Graham said. “The most important thing we can do is come to God and ask Him for help and direction. He’s the only hope for this world, and that’s why I pray in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ on this National Day of Prayer.”

Graham concluded his message with Hebrews 4:16. 

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need,” the bible verse reads.

Graham also tweeted the Old Testament verse 2 Chronicles 7:14:

The National Day of Prayer was established in 1952 after Congress passed a joint resolution that was “signed into law by President Harry S. Truman” and is annually observed “on the first Thursday of May,” the National Day of Prayer Task Force notes.

The task force “represents a Judeo-Christian expression of the national observance, based on our understanding that this country was birthed in prayer and in reverence for the God of the Bible,” its website states.