Trump’s Day of Prayer (Part 3) - Who can pray?

The Christian God is not a genie who will answer our demands just because we go through the motions of praying. God is not a mechanical vending machine in the sky. There is nothing ‘automatic’ about calling for a Day of Prayer. We cannot judge President Trump’s heart but God can and it is up to Him to respond as He sees fit! This begs another question: why should God listen to any of our prayers? This is a really good way to explain one of the most important things Christians believe about prayer. You may not be so interested in that but I would ask you to stick with me because it is, in turn, essential in exploring how Christians understand the idea of a ‘Day of Prayer’.

One of the ways God is portrayed in the Bible is as a great King. If you have ever been to visit Buckingham Palace or the White House you know that tourists are kept at a safe distance by multiple layers of fences, walls, and well-armed security guards, both uniformed and in plain clothes. You cannot waltz up to the Queen or the President of the United States. Why should it be any different with the Divine King of kings?! One of the biblical Psalms asks the question:

“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in His holy place?” (Psalm 24:3).

God’s ‘holiness’ is His infinite purity, a purity that is so intense it is sometimes compared to a white hot fire that burns up anything impure. Even the ‘Seraphim’ (meaning something like ‘Flaming Ones’), the holy angels who live around His throne find it hard to bear the intensity of God’s holy place. The poet is asking “Who would dare to run the gauntlet of God’s security perimeter?!” This is the answer:

“He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

Who does not lift up his soul to what is false

And does not swear deceitfully.” (Psalm 24:4)

In other words, someone pure enough to stand the heat of God’s holiness without getting burned. Is Trump that person? No, he is not. Are you? No. Am I? Not at all. This is one dimension of what the Bible calls ‘sin’ - it is a kind of moral and spiritual impurity by which every human being is polluted.

This is why Jesus means so much to us as Christians. We believe that He is the only human being who ever lived a life so pure that it was completely free of sin. He is that man who can “ascend the hill of the Lord” and “stand in His holy place”. He is the only person with the right ‘access clearance’ to pray and expect God to listen. When Christians say that they pray ‘in Jesus’ name’ we are claiming a close personal connection with Him - we are claiming that someone on the inside has given us the right security clearance and granted us His purity qualifications so that we can approach God without fear. Of course, the words ‘in Jesus’ name’ are not a magic formula. It is essential to have a genuine faith in Jesus Christ because the consequences of sneaking into God’s “Top Secret: Do Not Enter” zone with a counterfeit security pass would be severe!

Why is this important to how Christians view a Day of Prayer? It means that we would not expect God to listen, even to a whole nation praying, unless the whole nation is also turning from their impurity to trust in Jesus. There have been several examples of national leaders setting a public example of truly Christian prayer - that is, prayer which is (as far as we can see) marked by genuine humility and reliance on Jesus Christ (e.g. see here). There is good reason to believe that a number of people among Trump’s advisers are people of real faith - but as far as I am aware, Trump himself has not led the way in any public demonstration of faith and humility. Here are three observations about Trump’s Day of Prayer declaration which I think are telling.

1. The declaration does not mention Jesus Christ.

2. The declaration quotes 1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your care on Him because He carets for you” but does not quote the previous verses “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you”.

3. The declaration recognises a pluralistic view of religion which is at odds with the exclusive claims of Christianity: “I urge Americans of all faiths and religious traditions and backgrounds to offer prayers for all those affected”.

This third point is one I will have to come back to. For now, suffice to say - somewhat provocatively - that it would raise bigger questions for the Christian faith if God did respond to a Day of Prayer called on these terms!