A Belated Veteran's Day Thought

I do realize that Veteran's Day was almost a week ago, but I've been pondering a thought all week and am ready to share it.

The morning of Veteran's Day our local AM talk radio station played a prayer prayed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the morning of June 6, 1944, D-Day. I was sooo moved by it because
1. the president prayed publicly
2. the war was one that had to be fought
3. the things he said, I highly doubt we'd ever hear our president saying them
4. He called the nation to a lifestyle of Prayer!!!
Rather than try to explain the significance, I'm posting the audio from YouTube and I'd like to copy a text of his prayer and let you see for yourself why it's so powerful. It's long, but bear with me please.



"My Fellow Americans:

Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.

And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. Let not the keeness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment -- let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace -- a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen."
Franklin D. Roosevelt - June 6, 1944


I hope this impacts you as it did me. I won't make a lot of comments other than to say this. We need to PRAY FOR OUR PRESIDENT!!! I was moved to tears over the realization that he doesn't believe what FDR prayed. That the very word "republic" is a "bad concept" to him. (Please, no political discussion, this is my viewpoint, and if you don't share it, great!) FDR prayed for faith, for an "unconquerable purpose" he called the nation to daily prayer, to prevail against evil, and that God's Will would be done. Amen!! That's all I can say. Whether or not you think we should be in Iraq or Afghanistan, we can all pray those things!!! And pray that our President has such a love for our country and God that he is willing to do what FDR said HAD to be done.

And let us pray for our troops as FDR said, for strength, courage, and hope.