[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 54 (Friday, May 3, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E696-E697]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          REMARKS FOR THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER IN WASHINGTON

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                           HON. MIKE McINTYRE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 2, 2002

  Mr. McINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, what a privilege it is to be with you 
today. I am especially pleased that my wife is here! She got up early 
and left North Carolina at 5:00 a.m. to surprise me. [applause] Yes, 
lets give her a hand! And I appreciate my staff being here! In just a 
little while--back in my hometown of Lumberton, North Carolina--scores 
of people will be gathering around the Robeson County Courthouse to 
pray for us here in Washington--and for our nation and our world. Ten 
years ago I was part of a local family commission that began our 
observance of the National Day of Prayer back home, and it has been 
exciting to see the ever-increasing number of people who gather to pray 
on this day--both locally and nationally.
  Why should we pray? Why is prayer important? Think about it! How many 
times have we prayed really expecting on answer? Prayer is important 
because it emphasizes God's peace, God's power, God's purpose. Peace, 
power and purpose.
  First, we know God's peace through prayer. Luke 18:1 is a parable to 
show that all times we ought to pray and not lose heart. So often we 
consume ourselves with fear rather than with faith. We forget that 
prayer should be the first resort, not the last resort! Too often we 
buy the lie that the world has taught us: ``Well, I guess there's 
nothing left to do but pray about it!'' We ought to talk to God first, 
because He already knows the outcome, and He can handle it! So often we 
rob ourselves of peace because we forget that God is bigger

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than any problem we may face. We should open our Bible-right in the 
middle to Psalms and read out loud in our closet or our room Psalms 
140-145. As we praise God first, we will realize the truth of the 
Scripture that says God inhabits the praise of his people, and He will 
give us peace in the midst of our circumstances.
  Second, prayer is important because it reminds us of God's power. 
``Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and 
it shall be opened to you,'' Jesus teaches in Matthew 7:7. ``For 
everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who 
knocks,, it will be opened.'' Many times, we don't even bother to ask 
for help of guidance. God promises to give us wisdom if we just ask. He 
has the power to protect and provide. ``When you pass through the 
waters, I will be with you; ... they will not overflow you,'' God says 
in Isaiah. ``When you walk through the fire, you will not be 
scorched.''
  Third, prayer not only gives us God's peace and power, but also His 
purpose. Many of you have said you saw several of us in Congress 
singing ``God Bless America'' on the Capitol steps as the sun set on 9/
11 after the terrorist attacks. Some have wondered if that was 
orchestrated or not. Actually, late that afternoon, several of us met 
in Capitol Police headquarters to talk by telephone speaker with 
Speaker Hastert and Leader Gephardt, who were at an undisclosed 
location. After we finished talking with them about that evening's 
press conference, someone suggested that we pray together. The House 
chaplain offered to let us walk to one of the local churches, but we 
said that we didn't have to go somewhere to pray; we could pray right 
there. And we did. After the chaplain prayed, we had an opportunity to 
pray out loud. After a few moments, a few of us did pray. And when we 
concluded, we sang ``God Bless America'' as a closing prayer.
  That night, after the Senate and the House leaders spoke at the press 
conference, members who had been at the prayer time a couple of hours 
earlier spontaneously broke out into singing that prayer, ``God Bless 
America.''
  We cannot know God's will--God's purpose--if we won't talk with Him. 
As Rosalind Rinker has written, Prayer is the expression of the human 
heart in conversation with God . . . prayer is a dialogue between two 
persons who love each other.''
  Peace, power, purpose! That is what prayer is about, and that is what 
we as one nation under God should be about! Dr. Charles Allen expresses 
it well in a poem:

``Worry? Why worry? What can worry do?
It never keeps a trouble from overtaking you.
It gives you indigestion and sleepless hours at night,
And fills with gloom the days, however fair and bright.

It puts a frown upon the face and sharpness to the tone;
We're unfit to live with others and unfit to live alone.

Pray? Why pray? What can praying do?
Praying really changes things, arranges life anew.

It's good for you digestion, gives peaceful sleep at night
And fills the grayest, gloomiest day--with rays of glowing light.
It puts a smile upon your face, The love note in your tone
Makes you fit to live with others, and fit to live alone.

Pray? Why pray? What can praying do?
It brings God down from Heaven To live and work with you.''

  We all should follow the teaching of I Thessalonians 5:17 ``to pray 
without ceasing.'' Indeed, if any of us desire to know the True Source 
of Power, it cannot be found in a building, in a person, or in a place; 
it must be found in the one who is the only true source of power. 
Prayer gives us an opportunity to express our heart to God, and it 
gives Him the opportunity to speak to a receptive heart.
  May all of our hearts be receptive to this power. Pray for us here in 
Washington that we may rely upon the wisdom which only He can give.
  (1) Please pray not only for wisdom for members of Congress but also 
for a spirit of harmony even during debate about important issues. (2) 
Pray for a greater spiritual awareness and depth to our relationships 
with each other personally here in Congress. (3) Pray that more hearts 
would be opened to salvation and stronger faith in the God who has 
given us this wonderful land and this opportunity to be a beacon of 
hope in a world of despair.
  As Paul says in his letter to the Phillippians: ``Be anxious for 
nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving 
let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which 
surpasses all understanding, shall guard your hearts and . . . minds in 
Christ Jesus.''

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