Thursday, President Trump outlined guidelines for opening up the nation, putting the responsibility on governors to determine how and when to restart the economies in their states.

“America wants to be open, and Americans want to be open. . . . We must have a working economy, and we want to get it back very, very quickly,” President Trump told reporters.

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The guidelines, Opening Up America Again, offer “a three-phased approach based on the advice of public health experts. These steps will help state and local officials when reopening their economies, getting people back to work, and continuing to protect American lives.”

In a press release, the White House explained the plan for moving forward: “The criteria include showing a downward trajectory of COVID-like symptoms reported over 14 days in a given state or region, as well as a decline in documented cases or positive tests during the same 14-day window.”

Earlier President Trump told the nation’s governors in a conference call: “You’re going to call your own shots. We’ll be standing right alongside of you and we’re going to get our country open.”

The White House also announced a bipartisan coronavirus advisory group of elected officials that will be part of a broader task force of business leaders.

For the last couple of weeks, IFA has highlighted individual governors in our Informer email. Clearly governors need concerted prayer for wisdom. We also need to pray for this new bipartisan advisory group. We have prayed often that President Trump would be surrounded by wise leaders who are guided by the true and lasting principles of the Bible. Pray for the members of this group. Pray that there would be unity and humility. Pray that there wouldn’t be grandstanding. Pray for these leaders to wisely chart a course for the nation at this time.