The following is an excerpt from our devotional series Desperate for Change.

“Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?” –Deuteronomy 4:6–8

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What makes a nation great? Its military forces or its growing economy? Is it great natural resources or an industrious people? All of those and more certainly contribute to the greatness that nations strive for. But the Bible shows us a different perspective. It’s a fascinating national concept found buried deep in this Old Testament passage. The greatness of a nation is directly related to the righteousness of its laws and rules.

Connect with others in your state in prayer.

As our nation began, our laws were made in recognition of God. Even though a number of our founding fathers were not church-going Christians, they all had a respect for the laws of God and literally based the new nation’s laws upon what they considered divine law. God blessed their decision, and greatness was achieved.

Over the years the making and understanding of law has drifted from that strong godly perspective. Increasingly, lawmakers are looking to other nations or cultural trends for guidelines in laws. It could be argued that our greatness as a nation is drifting with that trend. It is time to begin praying for a return to laws that have their basis in God’s Word.

Prayer Points

• Thank God for a good foundation for this nation in the nature of its laws.
• Pray for a return to that solid foundation.
• Pray for the judges of this nation, that they would seek the wisdom that comes from above.

My Prayer

Father, when I read the founding documents of our nation, I give thanks to You for the wisdom given to the men who wrote them. They clearly tried to base their writings on Your revelation. Would You pour out that wisdom on those who are currently in leadership in our nation? We have been drifting from Your Word, and our laws are increasingly in opposition to Your revealed will. Turn us, Lord. Line our laws up with Your Word so that we might once again achieve greatness as a nation because we reflect what You desire.

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David Butts is the chairman of America’s National Prayer Committee and the president of Harvest Prayer Ministries. Photo Credit: PonyWang/Getty Images Signature via Canva Teams.