Before America, There Was Prayer

Prayer, prayer, and more prayer: what sustained the founders, and what can sustain us today
By Rose, Host of Rose Unplugged

Adapted from a recent Rose Unplugged podcast conversation with Cynthia Scott

I think there’s an important part of America’s story that’s getting lost.

We’re hearing plenty about the Declaration of Independence. We’re hearing about the Constitution. We’re hearing about the founders, the debates, and the documents that shaped this nation.

And all of that matters.

But what if one of the most important parts of America’s story isn’t being talked about nearly enough?

Prayer.

Not ceremonial prayer. Not political prayer. Real prayer, and real dependence on God.

Before They Asked, “What Should We Do?”

Most Americans know what happened on July 4, 1776. Far fewer know what happened before it.

Before the Continental Congress voted for independence, they called for days of fasting, repentance, and prayer.

Think about that. Before they asked, “What should we do?” they asked, “Lord, what would You have us do?”

They understood something that seems almost foreign in our culture today: that wisdom begins with humility.

Long before there was a Constitution, there were the Pilgrims. Before they built homes, before they planted crops, before they established government, they entered into a covenant with God. They believed their future depended not merely on hard work, but on God’s blessing.

And whether people agree with that belief today or not, it’s impossible to honestly understand America’s beginnings without recognizing it.

A Mother’s Charge

One of the most touching stories involves George Washington and his mother, Mary Ball Washington.

When her son was leaving home in his early twenties to begin his lifelong service to his country in the French and Indian War, he recorded her parting words:

“Remember that God is our only sure trust. To Him I commend you … My son, neglect not the duty of secret prayer.”

Not military strategy. Not politics. Prayer.

What a remarkable thing for a mother to tell a young man about to step into one of the most important leadership roles in history. By the way, it was her influence that instilled in her son the strong Christian character that remained with him for the rest of his life.

Many years later, in 1789, Mary lay dying of breast cancer. Before George left for New York City to be sworn in on April 30 as our first president, he visited his mother in Virginia. Her words to her son during that last visit were:

“You will see me no more; my great age, and the disease which is fast approaching my vitals, warn me that I shall not be long in this world; I trust in God that I may be somewhat prepared for a better. But go, George, fulfill the high destinies which Heaven appears to have intended for you; go, my son, and may that Heaven’s and a mother’s blessing be with you always.”

On August 25, 1789, just four months later, Mary Ball Washington died in her early eighties.

It occurs to me the role mothers play in history. Think about that! Our godly influence could shape an entire country. That is powerful!

So maybe the question isn’t simply how America was founded. Maybe it’s what sustained those who founded it.

Prayer, Prayer, and More Prayer

In my conversation with Cynthia Scott, I kept coming back to one phrase:

Prayer. Prayer. And more prayer.

It’s a simple phrase. But it may also be the answer to one of the most important questions facing our nation today.

When I look back at some of the most difficult chapters in American history, I see something interesting. The people who came before us faced overwhelming challenges too.

The Pilgrims faced uncertainty. The founders faced revolution. George Washington faced impossible odds against the most powerful military force in the world, and he faced those odds with prayer. Abraham Lincoln faced a Civil War, and he faced that war with prayer throughout.

Again and again, we find the same response. Prayer.

Driven to Our Knees

Lincoln once said, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.”

He wasn’t admitting defeat. He was acknowledging dependence: dependence on the only source of strength and courage that could carry him through his many challenges.

Today we often act as though our greatest hope lies in elections, legislation, institutions, or technology. Those things matter. But as Cynthia reminded me, laws can shape behavior, while only God can transform hearts.

And transformed hearts are what every nation ultimately needs.

A Government on Its Knees

One of the most powerful images from our founding comes from George Washington’s inauguration in 1789.

After taking the oath of office, Washington, members of the House, and members of the Senate went together to St. Paul’s Chapel. The new government knelt in prayer.

Think about that. At the very birth of our constitutional republic, before exercising power, they acknowledged the One from whom all authority ultimately comes.

What a picture.

We really should be celebrating great documents, great leaders, and great achievements. But let’s not forget what came before them.

Before there were victories, there were prayers.

Before there were documents, there was dependence.

Before there was a nation, there were people seeking God’s guidance.

What Kind of People Will We Be?

Maybe the question for us isn’t simply what kind of nation America has been. Maybe the question is what kind of people we will be.
Will we place our confidence solely in ourselves? Or will we rediscover the humility that marked so many of the men and women who came before us?
Because the future of America won’t be determined only by what happened in 1776. It will also be shaped by what we choose to do, and who we choose to trust, today.
Keep your faith steady, your focus clear, and keep moving forward, because you are here for such a time as this.

Rose is the host of Rose Unplugged on Real Life Network. Connect with her at RoseUnplugged.com or SheIsCalledByHim.com, where you can leave a prayer request for her dedicated prayer team, subscribe to the free weekly newsletter, and download daily devotionals.