Originally posted Friday, Sept. 5, 2008.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (BP)–With confetti falling and balloons popping, exuberant delegates at the Republican National Convention Sept. 4 settled down long enough for nominee John McCain’s pastor, a Southern Baptist, to deliver the closing prayer.
Dan Yeary, pastor of North Phoenix Baptist Church, has been McCain’s pastor for approximately the past 15 years. McCain is not a member, although his wife Cindy is. McCain was raised Episcopalian.
Yeary told Baptist Press earlier this year that he doesn’t “have any doubt” that McCain “has a strong faith” and “is committed to Christ.” Yeary also said the two men have two topics of conversation: faith and family. He said they never talk about politics.
Yeary’s closing prayer came minutes after McCain finished his acceptance speech and after confetti and balloons began falling from the rafters.
“[W]e’re reminded,” Yeary prayed to God, “of the words You gave to Solomon: ‘If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways,’ You will hear from heaven and heal our land.’ So we pray, humble us Lord, humble us as a people to serve You. Help us to seek Your face, alone.”
Following is the complete transcript of Yeary’s prayer:
“Almighty God, we are grateful for the gift called America. We’re thankful for the freedom to celebrate as we are doing and have done this week. We have repeatedly invoked Your blessing on our country, and as we do, we’re reminded of the words You gave to Solomon: ‘If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways,’ You will hear from heaven and heal our land.’ So we pray, humble us Lord, humble us as a people to serve You. Help us to seek Your face, alone. Give us the courage to turn from our self-centered wicked ways. Hear us, oh Lord, as we ask You to heal our land.
“We ask You to still the storms on our eastern coast. Tonight, we ask that You protect our young men and young women who are protecting us from terrorism. And Lord, we ask Your very special blessings on our brother, John McCain. Father, we feel that he has been prepared for such a time as this. We ask that You give him wisdom and courage — wisdom that comes from You and courage because of his relationship with You. We ask for Your blessing and divine protection upon Cindy and the children, and may they see such honor and integrity in their parents that they rise up and call them blessed. And, oh Lord, in humility, we ask that You remind us that we cannot put our country first unless You are foremost. For as Jesus taught His disciples, Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
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Michael Foust is an assistant editor of Baptist Press.
