Pray Without Ceasing

By Fidel "Butch" Montoya

On the dawn of our nation's most historic week, it is incumbent that we uphold our new President and his family in our prayers. The challenges and issues facing our nation are perhaps the most serious we as a nation have ever experienced.

The economic crisis is being called the worst recession we have faced, and rumors of a deeper and longer depression loom on the horizon since the Big Depression of the 1930's.

President Obama has made it clear that we may very well confront more serious economic challenges before we begin to see any sign of recovery. The number of people, hard working American losing their jobs, their homes, and hope for the future is staggering.

Distracted by loss of jobs and hope here at home, we seem to lose sight of the fact we are still fighting two major wars which have become over shadowed in the evening newscasts by the economic problems we are facing. But as a praying Church, we must not forget our nation is at war on two battle fronts in the Middle East.

Over 5000 men and women from our armed forces have lost their lives, with thousands more injured and maimed. For families who have lost loved ones, the human toll has been a heavy loss to bare.

Certainty we must not forget the civilian causalities suffered by the people of Iraq. The war has taken thousands in human lives, and yet, we are locked in these wars without an end in sight. Our new President has promised to end our involvement and begin to bring our soldiers home.

Already the President is finding out that closing Guantanamo Bay in Cuba is easier said then done. May he have the divine courage to move forward with his good intentions.

Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Department of Homeland Security raids continue to cause misery, fear, and separation of families because of old and antiqued immigration laws. Over three million children are separated from their families.

More and more proponents of immigration reform are demanding that the raids be stopped. Too many immigrant families are being ripped apart, leaving fear, chaos, and hopelessness.

May we pray that our new President find the wisdom and courage to bring an end to the raids and work with the new Congress to find comprehensive immigration reform that will serve the needs of our nation and "strangers who live amongst us."

As Barrack Obama takes the reins of leadership as President of our nation, we must join together across our country in fasting and prayer for him and our congressional leadership.

At this point in our nation's history, it does not matter whether or not you voted or supported Barrack Obama as our choice for President. As a praying nation, we must now unite behind our new President and seek divine intervention of the Holy Spirit in the difficult decisions President Obama will have to make on our behalf in the days and years ahead.

Our national and global community faces so many serious problems from which solutions seem impossible to find, but there is no doubt in my mind, President Obama will struggle and succeed in leading our nation back from the brink of economic, immoral, and social abyss.

Lest we forget, the serious problems we face are not just economic, or the wars we have started, but the destruction of the moral core and values of our nation as well.

The other day as I contemplated the many serious issues facing our world wide community, there is little room for our President to maneuver in making the right decisions and resolving the serious concerns we all face.

Unless the Lord intervenes and directs the path of our President, the problems intertwined between our nation and the other nations of our world, will be unsolvable and hopeless.

As we face a new dawn with a new sense of hope and expectation, let us not grow weary in our prayers for President Barrack Obama and our nation. The stress, the tension, and the unrelenting pressures our President will face as our leader, it is incumbent for the Church to cover him in our prayers.

The historical significance of President Barrack Obama being called to lead our nation must not be overlooked or lost by the many issues we face. It is an historical milestone and one in which we must acknowledge that the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King has been fulfilled.

Our nation has reached a significant and memorable period of time in our nation's history. May all good men and women remember to pray on a daily basis for our President.

One of nation's most respected religious leaders, and committed Latino pastor to issues of justice and righteousness, Rev. Mark Gonzales of Dallas is leading a national prayer effort where Latino pastors and ministers join in a weekly national conference call to pray for our President.

The United States Hispanic Prayer Network gathers every Monday evening bringing pastors and ministers together to pray together for President Obama and the many issues facing our nation. It is a time of praying together with a national perspective from the Latino faith community.

I am convinced that without divine intervention, our nation will suffer immeasurable pain, hopelessness and loss. Yet with the dawn of a new day, the Holy Spirit provides a new hope, and a desire for renewal and charity.

May we allow our new President the time and space he will need to solve and lead us out of the fear and uncertainty we sense and most certainly will have to face.

As members of God's family, let us pray without ceasing for our new President and his family. May we truly return to the days when "In God We Trust," actually stood as a testament of our faith.

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light Ministries - Latino Faith Initiative
Denver, Colorado 80212
fmon@hotmail.com

(For more information about the United States Hispanic Prayer Network, write to Pastor Mark Gonzales: ushispanicprayernetwork@gmail.com ).