WASHINGTON — Dr. Tim Clinton, president of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), offered the closing prayer Wednesday at the Men’s and Women’s Prayer Gathering, one of several planned events in observance of the National Day of Prayer Thursday, May 3.
The Prayer Gathering, held at National Community Church in Washington, D.C., featured focused times of prayer for the “Seven Centers of Influence in America” — government, military, media, business, education, church and the family. Unity is this year’s National Day of Prayer theme, a concept which guided each prayer.
Dr. Clinton noted that the God-given role of the family is to be “a place to anchor and fashion hearts and hands with grace to love and be loved,” adding the warning that the institution of the family is facing “intense persecution” within our culture. Dr. Clinton lamented this erosion, saying it has left families marred by “broken relationships” and “pain and sorrow.” Clinton closed his prayer asking God to “lead us to forgiveness, reconciliation, healing grace and more.”
Dr. Clinton’s full prayer:
“Father, we pray today for our families — so goes the nation, so goes the family; so goes the family so goes the nation. God, you’re the one who ordained the institution of the family, a place to anchor and fashion hearts and hands with grace to love and be loved. But God, no other institution in our culture is facing more intense persecution than the family. Truly, as the Psalmist echoed, ‘except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it.’ Lord, help us to stay close to your heart, to your design for one man with one woman devoted to each other. Strengthen our love for you and for each other.
“Father, heal our broken relationships. You know the pain and sorrow. Encourage that little boy today who wonders if dad or mom will come back home. God, wrap your strong arms around that little girl who longs for the love of her mom or dad. Speak to that spouse who feels lost, alone, maybe in an empty loveless relationship. We pray for our single parent families, for our blended families. God help us in the midst of this to be tender to our kids, to not provoke them to wrath, but to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Help us to raise our children to be responsible, loving, caring adults who know you. Teach us, God, to love and be loved well.
“We pray for our elected officials, for the members of our judicial system as they consider proposed legislation for the various court cases related to marriage and family.
“God unify our families, our workplaces, our communities and our cities in America. By your Spirit, Lord would you lead us to forgiveness, reconciliation and healing grace. I pray this in the matchless name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, amen.”
For more information about the 2018 National Day of Prayer and livestream information, visit here.
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About the AACC
With nearly 50,000 members worldwide, the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) is the world’s largest and most diverse association of Christian counseling professionals. The AACC’s mission is to equip the entire community of care, including licensed professionals, pastors and lay caregivers, with biblical truth and psychosocial insights so they can minister to hurting persons and help them move to personal wholeness, interpersonal competence and mental stability. The AACC accomplishes this mission through its widely attended events, its educational programs and materials available via Light University and the AACC’s publications. Life, Love and Family, hosted by AACC President Tim Clinton, Ph.D., airs on American Family Radio and is heard Monday–Friday on nearly 300 stations.
Website | www.aacc.net, www.worldconference.net
Facebook | American Association of Christian Counselors
Twitter | @theaacc
