Proverbs 22:28 – Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

Congress established the National Day of Prayer in 1952, the day for presidents to issue proclamations asking Americans to pray. In May 2009, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs announced President Obama would issue a proclamation recognizing the National Day of Prayer, as presidents have traditionally done for more than half a century, but would not invite religious leaders to join him at the White House.

For the first time in nearly two decades, the White House declined to participate in the congressionally authorized National Day of Prayer beyond issuing the standard proclamation. Yet, just a few months later, President Obama praised Islam as an integral part of America, as he entertained prominent US Muslims at an Iftar dinner marking the fasting month of Ramadan in the State Dining Room of the White House. "For well over a billion Muslims, Ramadan is a time of intense devotion and reflection," the President said, in remarks welcoming his guests. The guest list included Cabinet secretaries, members of Congress, ambassadors from Islamic nations and Muslim community leaders. During his eight years in office former President George W. Bush held an Iftar. But he, as other presidents, also invited religious leaders to join him at the White House for the National Day of Prayer.

In April 2009, President Obama traveled to Egypt where he told the Muslim world America no longer considers itself a Christian nation. He later traveled to Turkey and announced America was one of the largest Muslim nations in the world (despite the fact that 78% of Americans claim to be Christians but only 1% claim to be Muslims).

To emphasize an important point President Obama has often used the phrase, “let me be perfectly clear.”  On the matter of our national and religious heritage, I believe he has achieved his goal.

The National Day of Prayer has been under attack in the courts as well, where one federal judge had declared it to be unconstitutional. Please pray for our country.

Proverbs 14:34 – Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people