Father God, Abba Daddy,

You look down on the earth and see all the goings-on. You are well aware of the disasters striking our nation and the world with increasing frequency. You care about every detail of our lives and continually assure us that you love us and will help us - if we return to you.

Many think the world is out of whack because of the poor economy, the oil spill, terrorists and devastating storms. But those things aren't the problem at all, Lord. Together we confess the true source of our troubles: We rejected you when we erased the shame from immorality, tolerated corruption in government, perverted our justice system, and made the mere mention of your name "politically incorrect" -- even at your own birthday celebration. Please forgive us.

Just as you did down through history when any other nation turned away from you, God, you have withdrawn your covering of protection from us. Consequently, our security has disappeared and a spirit of fear grips our nation.

Lord, use those fears to bring us back to you. Help us remember we can crawl up on our Abba Daddy's lap and lean into you, knowing you will help us endure problems and that you have the power to heal and make new. Make us willing to submit ourselves to your testing so we can know whether our own attitudes are right. Motivate us as individuals to stand in the breach and shore up the collapsing foundations of our families and nation so you won't have to destroy our land. Guide us to do that by trusting you, obeying your Word and openly displaying your righteous character as we pray for ourselves and others. Thank you for the hope we have in you. We pray this in the name of your Son Jesus. Amen.

Supporting verses:

He has taken away the covering of Judah. -- Isaiah 22:8

Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking theLORD your God, when he led you in the way? --Jeremiah 2:17

Be warned, O Jerusalem, lest I turn from you in disgust, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land. --Jeremiah 6:8

Return, O faithless sons; I will heal your faithlessness. -- Jeremiah 3:22

"And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none." Ezekiel 22:31

"For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn and live." Exekiel 18:32