‘America will be great again if we humble ourselves in prayer for revival’

OPINION:

If one desires to make America great again, we must understand what made America great in the first place.

Our nation’s foundation, the freedoms we cherish, and the opportunity we enjoy come from ordinary people doing extraordinary things because they were first on their knees in prayer.

This 250th anniversary, we are reminded that God changes things. Our nation is the result of prayer warriors appealing to heaven for wisdom, discernment and strength. It is that Judeo-Christian foundation that is the bedrock for this entire country, and when we turn our hearts back to the Lord, He will hear us, and it will lead to remarkable outcomes not just for America, but for the world.

As we reflect on the Fourth of July, this calling to return to the Lord is personal: If you dedicate your life to the Lord every single day, which means starting your day in a rhythm of seeking divine guidance, praise and reading the Word of God, you will be close to His heart. James 1:5 reminds us: If anyone lacks wisdom, let them ask of God, who will give liberally, and be not like a wave of the sea tossed to and fro.

My story is living proof that seeking divine guidance changes things. It’s this prayer that inspires our nation. It’s the trust in the Lord that transforms our world. But it is not just unique to you and me. There is no way to grasp the last 250 years of America without looking to the power of humbling ourselves before our Creator. You can find it when Americans turned to the Lord in moments of great joy and times of adversity. From the Civil War, to WWII, to landing on the moon, Americans have looked to God for guidance, for peace and for strength.

It is this commitment to seeking divine guidance that powered the Civil Rights Movement. The journey for justice for all was rooted in the Black church a body of believers who refused to let go of God. In 1955, Rosa Parks did not simply refuse to give up her seat, she refused to give up her dignity before God. Her courage was cultivated on her knees before it was acted out on the bus. Her “no” was not born of rage, but of righteousness.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., did not lead from a mere podium, he led from the pulpit. His dream was not a political speech, it was a sermon. He quotes Amos 5:24: “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream,” when he called America not to be a new nation, but to honor its founding promise. His words echoed the words of Frederick Douglass in 1852 in the face of slavery: “The principles contained in the [Declaration of Independence] are saving principles. Stand by those principles, be true to them on all occasions, in all places, against all foes, and at whatever cost.”

Bombed churches did not silence the worship, it amplified it. The movement sang before it marched. It prayed before it protested. It relied on the gospel before it looked for legislation. The Civil Rights Movement was driven by the truth that all men are created equal, and our rights come from God, not government.

The next 250 years of America will be built by men and women with bold faith, committed to founding principles, and those who choose to live out Proverbs 31:8: “Speak out on behalf of the voiceless.”

America will be great again if we humble ourselves in prayer for revival. We’re witnessing it today on college campuses, in our communities, around kitchen tables around this country, and even in the halls of Congress.

May this year stir revival in this country as we humble ourselves before God and commit to the founding principles that made America the greatest nation on earth.

Our faith must be the active engine for the next 250 years, driving American innovation and securing opportunity for all. If we maintain the rhythms of daily connection to the Lord, I believe the best is yet to come for America.

• Senator Tim Scott has served the people of South Carolina as their U.S. Senator since 2013. In the U.S. Senate, Tim has been a leader in fighting for opportunity and education for families, defending God-given rights, and advancing safety and security goals at home and abroad. He is the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the Senate Banking Committee. Prior to his time in politics. Tim built successful small businesses. He lives in the Charleston area with his wife, Mindy, and is home every weekend to take his mama to church.