A message from Texas governor, and possible GOP presidential hopeful, Rick Perry:
Fellow Americans,
Right now, America is in crisis: we have been besieged by financial debt, terrorism, and a multitude of natural disasters. As a nation, we must come together and call upon Jesus to guide us through unprecedented struggles, and thank Him for the blessings of freedom we so richly enjoy.
Some problems are beyond our power to solve, and according to the Book of Joel, Chapter 2, this historic hour demands a historic response. Therefore, on August 6, thousands will gather to pray for a historic breakthrough for our country and a renewed sense of moral purpose.
I sincerely hope you’ll join me in Houston on August 6th and take your place in Reliant Stadium with praying people asking God’s forgiveness, wisdom and provision for our state and nation. There is hope for America. It lies in heaven, and we will find it on our knees.
Rick Perry,
Governor
The language of politics will always reflect the traditions and the culture of the constituency to which it is designed to appeal, but, blimey…
Incidentally, check out Joel 2 (King James Version), if you haven’t already done so. It’s bonkers, of course, but rather beautiful.
I don’t think there’s much difference between praying and other psychological tricks one might play on oneself. For a politician to ask God for wisdom, courage and leadership skills, isn’t any different from holding an imaginary conversation with Abraham Lincoln to ask what he’d do.
My question about this prayer rally is whether the participants are going to ask God to improve themselves or change others. There’s a big difference between “Help make me a more concerned, aware and unselfish citizen” and “Please throw the opposition into disarray and unite our society in agreeing with me about everything.”
Dominique Strauss-Kahn may have been reading the same text. Verse 29: “And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.”
I’ve heard it called many things, but this is the first time I’ve heard it called “spirit”.
For reference, for any who are interested, here is Puritan Matthew Henry’s commentary on Joel 2 (actually just the overview intro part of it):
Joel 2 –
In this chapter we have, I. A further description of that terrible desolation which should be made in the land of Judah by the locusts and caterpillars (Joe_2:1-11). II. A serious call to the people, when they are under this sore judgment, to return and repent, to fast and pray, and to seek unto God for mercy, with directions how to do this aright (Joe_2:12-17). III. A promise that, upon their repentance, God would remove the judgment, would repair the breaches made upon them by it, and restore unto them plenty of all good things (Joe_2:18-27). IV. A prediction of the setting up of the kingdom of the Messiah in the world, by the pouring out of the Spirit in the latter days (Joe_2:28-32). Thus the beginning of this chapter is made terrible with the tokens of God’s wrath, but the latter end of it made comfortable with the assurances of his favour, and it is in the way of repentance that this blessed change is made; so that, though it is only the last paragraph of the chapter that points directly at gospel-times, yet the whole may be improved as a type and figure, representing the curses of the law invading men for their sins, and the comforts of the gospel flowing in to them upon their repentance.