America is on a war footing, as daily reports come out of Washington about the latest military operations in Afghanistan. Meanwhile on the domestic front there is the appearance of anthrax. As anxiety grows, there is one piece of information that is encouraging to those who look to the higher power of God as their guide and stay during this time of national testing. America has a president who prays, and in that we can all take a measure of hope.

A recent article in USA Today focused on the personal habit of President George W. Bush to start his day in prayer. "Religion infuses the president's daily life. Bush, 54, starts every day on his knees, praying. He reads the Bible each morning and studies daily Bible lessons. He often asks a Cabinet secretary to lead a prayer at the beginning of Cabinet meetings. He says he frequently prays in the Oval Office."

President Bush is not reluctant to talk about his faith. He says, "I pray all the time, when I am alone in the Oval Office (and) something might be on my mind...I will pray. I don't think that I could be sitting here as comfortable as I am and as peaceful as I am had it not been for my religion."

The Bible records the prayers of many leaders who cried out to God in prayer during a time of national crisis. Often there was an admission of sin, or transgression, against the commandments and covenant. A common plea in the prayers was for God to vindicate His sovereignty before the nations.

An example is the prayer of Judah's King Hezekiah during the time of an Assyrian invasion. It is recorded in 2 Kings 19:15-19: "O LORD God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.... Hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods.... Now therefore, O LORD our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the LORD God, You alone."

God heard this prayer and turned back the threat to the nation. Judah had another opportunity to prove herself faithful before God.

The outcome of this current conflict is unseen. God has blessed America with prosperity and protection during its 225-year history. Pending the final casualty list, the September 11 attack could result in more American deaths in one day on its own soil than any previous day in the nation's history. That is a staggering fact which has deeply wounded our national psyche.

In his inaugural address, President Bush made reference to the divine protection and presence of God over America's history. He referred to an observation made to Thomas Jefferson after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, "We know the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. Do you not think an angel rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm?" The new president concluded, "This work continues. This story goes on. And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm."

Along with the president, we pray that God is still directing this storm into which the United States has entered. The poet Tennyson said, "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of...." Never undervalue the power of fervent, heartfelt prayer. WNP