AL House Marks National Day of Prayer

Thursday, May 1, 2025, marks the 74th annual National Day of Prayer in the United States. Observed on the first Thursday of May, this day invites Americans of all faiths to unite in prayer and reflection for the nation.

This year's theme is drawn from Romans 15:13: "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

The National Day of Prayer was established in 1952 by President Harry S. Truman, following a joint resolution by Congress. This initiative was largely due to the efforts of evangelist Billy Graham, who advocated for a national day dedicated to prayer during the Korean War. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan amended the law to fix the observance on the first Thursday of May each year.

Thursday morning, Alabama State Representative Mark Gidley (R-Gadsden) rose to open the Alabama House with remarks about the National Day of Prayer. ALPolitics.com reached to Rep. (and Pastor) Gidley to expand on his comments about the Day.

“We understand that, as Christians, we should be praying daily and continuously, but it is monumental that we recognize a day nationally, that we focus on the importance of prayer for our nation,” Gidley said. 

“Prayer was the foundation of who we are as a nation. Going back to the founding of our country, George Washington was led by prayer. Washington flew the ‘Appeal to Heaven’ flag as he went into battle. Benjamin Franklin, in 1787, as they gathered at the Constitutional Convention, said ‘I’m firmly convinced that if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, neither can a nation rise to power without His aid.’ At that point, George Washington, the president of the convention, dismissed them for a day of fasting and prayer. They came back together again and wrote the greatest, most powerful, long lasting Constitution in the history of the world.

“We know that Abraham Lincoln called numerous times for days of fasting and prayer during the conflict of the Civil War. We saw Franklin D. Roosevelt call for times of prayer during World War II. The list goes on and on. There have been times that our nation has been called a prayer, and we have succeeded, and we have been able to survive and thrive as a nation.

“On this National Day of Prayer, it’s important that we understand how vital prayer has been to this nation, and to its continuation. We know there is a God. We know that he hears the prayer of His people. He says for us to call upon him and he will answer us.

“There will be gatherings throughout the day today to encourage people to take time to focus on praying for our nation, not only today, but every single day of our lives. It’s just a great day to focus on that,” Gidley concluded.

Rep. Gidley’s full remarks on the floor of the House may be seen on YouTube on The Alabama Channel HERE.