I’m not much for political speeches, and wasn’t so mesmerized by John McCain tonight. Green-screen malfunction aside, I enjoyed hearing McCain drop the biggest name that’s been mentioned throughout the presidential election season: God.
McCain has had an at-best-tenuousrelationship with evangelicals, a relationship that a certain someone has really buoyed. Here’s the prayer McCain’s pastor, Dan Yeary, offered at the Republican National Convention tonight:
Almighty God, we are grateful for the gift called America. We are thankful for the freedom to celebrate what we are doing and have done this week. We have repeatedly invoked your blessing on our country. And as we do, we are reminded of the words you gave to Solomon: if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, you will hear from heaven and heal our land.
So we pray, humble us Lord, humble us as a people to serve you, help us to seek your face alone. Give us the courage to turn from our self-centered, wicked ways. Hear us, oh Lord, as we ask you to heal our land. We ask you to still the storms … tonight that we ask that you protect our young men and young women who are protecting us from terrorism.
Lord, we ask a very special blessing on our brother John McCain. (cheering)
Father, we think that he has been prepared for such a time as this. We ask that you give him wisdom and courage, wisdom that comes from you, and courage that comes from his relationship with you. We ask your blessing and divine protection on Cindy and the children. May they see such honor and integrity in their parents that they rise up and call them blessed.
Oh Lord, in humility, we ask that you remind us that we cannot put our country first unless you are foremost. For as Jesus taught his disciplines, thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
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