will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life… because of the terror that will fill your hearts and the sights that your eyes will see.43
“Is God really serious about the consequences of the choices that would be made, whether to obey or go their own way?
“Looking back from Babylon, Daniel knew the answer, for the nation of Israel had been completely destroyed by a foreign enemy and many of those who survived were taken away into captivity. It was a moment like today that changed history when Daniel chose to stand before God for his now non-existent nation. He chose to pray for forgiveness of their sin of rebellion against God, which had brought about their defeat. He confessed that, ‘We have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets,’ and that as a result, the curses I just quoted and the others in that passage had been poured out upon the nation and it had been destroyed by its enemies.44 He acknowledged that ‘The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything He does; yet we have not obeyed Him… we have sinned we have done wrong.’45
“God heard and answered, and a decree was issued by a foreign king who ruled over them that ultimately allowed the temple to be rebuilt,46 and then the city of Jerusalem.47 In time, Israel was once again a nation until its people again made wrong choices, they rebelled against God, and the process repeated itself.
“This truth is not limited to Israel, for no great world power has yet survived throughout all of history. America has no reason to believe we will be treated any differently if we make wrong choices.
“What then needs to happen to assure that we are aligned with God; that we are on his side individually and as a nation?
“The answer is found in the experience of Isaiah the prophet in the 6th chapter of the book that bears his name, when he encountered God. That is the purpose of today: to encounter God. What happens when you encounter God? Well, what happened to Isaiah?
“The Bible gives an elaborate description of what he saw, but what is important for us is not how God appeared to him, but how it affected him and what he did about it. When Isaiah realized that it was God Himself, he cried out, ‘Woe to me… I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord almighty.’48
“A real encounter with God will reveal what in us is considered sin. For Isaiah, it was his mouth. In you, and for America, it may include your mouth, or it may be something completely different. Let no one tell you what they believe your (or America’s) sin is. Don’t decide for yourself; you can’t know for sure. Just like Isaiah, let God reveal your sin, then confess it and allow God to change both you and our nation.
“In the passage, after Isaiah confesses his sin, he sees an angel come with a piece of coal taken from the altar before the throne. His lips are touched, and he hears these words, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’ Suddenly Isaiah could hear God speak and quickly found himself being used by God, living under His enablement and protection.49 That cleansing and change and empowerment is what we seek today for ourselves and for our nation. We desire to live under the blessings and protection of God, which means we must desire to obey Him fully and repudiate anything He calls sin.
“Please repeat with me the Lord’s Prayer,” he asked. Both in the East Room and throughout the world, voices were raised together repeating the familiar lines.
Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, for Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.50
“As you approach God today, let me suggest that you begin by asking Him two questions from the prayer we just raised together. I believe that in His answer you will discover your sin and America’s sin as God views it. The first question: what in my life or our nation dishonors the holiness of God’s name? By name, scripture means everything that is God — His character, His power, His righteousness, His sovereignty; even His Word. The second question: what in my life or our nation is not God’s will being done as it is in Heaven?”
The sound of pens quickly writing notes filled the East Room as the Bookseller continued.
“God has given us some very specific promises in the Bible for anyone seriously searching for Him this day. It says, come near to God and He will come near to you.51 Jesus says, seek me and you will find me.52 In the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, Jesus reveals another truth about this day. He affirms that it is He who is knocking, and we who must open so that He may come into our hearts and dwell with us.53 Seek God. Open your heart and mind to Him. Then ask the questions and listen, for He will come with the answers even as He has promised.
“What will this look like, and how should we respond? Let me read the prayer of one man who sought God and then confessed before the Kansas House of Representatives what he believed God had revealed to him as America’s sin.” Taking the single sheet of paper, he read:
Heavenly Father,
We come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance.
We know Your Word says, “Woe to those who call evil good,” but that is exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We confess that.
We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism; we have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism; we have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery; we have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice; we have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression; we have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center of Your will, to open their hearts and their minds to receive your guidance.
I ask this prayer in the name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen
There were audible gasps in the room as the prayer was read. Throughout America, some were angered and offended by what they heard. The Bookseller placed the paper down and spoke slowly with authority.
“Some of you were obviously offended by this prayer. That is of no concern to me. What is of concern is how God feels about the subjects mentioned in the prayer, and whatever else is on His heart. I read this only to make a point. It does not matter what you think or feel about what you hear. It matters only what God thinks and feels. You may disagree among yourselves, forming competing political parties with different
