This resolution of Daily United Prayer is based on An Humble Attempt, originally put forward by Jonathan Edwards in 1748. Its design is to encourage God's people in the duty of united extraordinary prayer; setting aside some time every day to pray for the revival of His church and the advancement of Christ's kingdom in our homes, in our churches, in our nation, and in the world.
On this day, July 8, 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached his now-famous sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, preached to his own congregation in Northampton, Massachusetts.
The preaching of this sermon was the catalyst for the First Great Awakening. Like Edwards' other works, it combines vivid imagery of Hell with observations of the world and citations of Biblical scripture. It is Edwards' most famous written work, is a fitting representation of his preaching style, and is widely studied by Christians and historians, providing a glimpse into the theology of the First Great Awakening of c.?1730–1755. [Wikipedia]
It is indeed a powerful sermon that God was pleased to use for His glory over 280 years ago. I find it amazing what a single sermon can do. It reminds me of the bit of history that I learned while visiting Saint Andrews, Scotland. After a "fiery sermon" by John Knox at Trinity Church, the people began tearing down the immense Catholic cathedral down the street that was 100 years in building. The power of one sermon.
But as we are all aware, it is not in the eloquence of the sermon. It's not in its vocabulary, sentence structure, or literary beauty. It's not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord. It's the Spirit-filled vessel that God will use. Whether it be John Knox, Jonathan Edwards, or even us in our day. May God give us the spirit of John Knox who prayed with passion, "Give me Scotland, or I die!"
DAILY UNITED PRAYER unitedprayer.net
Mon-Fri @ 12pm EDT // Sat @ 10am EDT
We invite you to join our dedicated and earnest group of praying participants of all ages from around the world that meet every day over Zoom to pray. At the start of each prayer call, a different individual will bring a brief Scriptural meditation. Here's the most recent: