Deep From The Heart Of Texas (June 7, 2011)

Last night I was prayerfully walking the streets of Manhattan, New York listening to an old groovy song on my iPod by the gospel band Commissioned called “If my people.”  The lyrics of this song have been taken - as you may have already guessed - from the popular Bible verse:

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 2. Chronicles 7:14 NLT

At the same time, I was thinking about the day’s news that was making headlines in the world; the escalating problems and violence in the Middle East, the E-coli bacteria outbreak in Europe that is killing many people - and where we will be soon traveling to - and here at home where New York Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner after days of denials confessed that he tweeted a bulging underpants photo of himself to a young woman and admitted to "inappropriate" exchanges with six women before and after getting married. The Congressman apologized for lying but said he would not resign.

In the midst of all that, I heard a cry rising from “deep in the heart of Texas”:

Texas Governor Rick Perry, who is considering making a run for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, has proclaimed August 6 as a "Day of Prayer and Fasting for our Nation to seek God's guidance" and has invited governors from across the nation to join his Christian prayer summit at Reliant Stadium in Houston, home of the “Texans” NFL football team.

"Given the trials that beset our nation and world, from the global economic downturn to natural disasters, the lingering danger of terrorism and continued debasement of our culture, I believe it is time to convene the leaders from each of our United States in a day of prayer and fasting, like that described in the book of Joel," Perry said in a statement released Monday.

"I urge all Americans of faith to pray on that day for the healing of our country, the rebuilding of our communities and the restoration of enduring values as our guiding force."

Perry added that Americans "must come together and call upon Jesus to guide us through unprecedented struggles "because" some problems are beyond our power to solve."