A tale of two nations: Once upon a time, not long, long ago, there was a great nation. And in that great nation, you could ask most of its citizens to insert a missing word into the first sentence of the Lord’s Prayer, and almost everyone who was asked would have had no problem doing so. In fact, many could go on to recite the whole prayer. As children growing up, the people prayed in school to begin the day; together, with their right hand over their heart, they pledged their allegiance to their God and their country. Then one day, by law, they were prohibited from doing so in their public schools.

Fast forward to September 11, 2001, aboard Flight 93, one of four planes that terrorists had hijacked. Todd Beamer, on a call with Airfone operator Lisa Jefferson—moments before the passengers would attempt to take back control of the plane from the terrorist hijackers—asked her to join with him in prayer. Together, they prayed the Lord’s Prayer from start to finish. After they were done, Todd, along with others on board the doomed aircraft, recited from the 23rd psalm—”Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.” He then held the phone down and said loudly, “Are you ready? Okay, let’s roll!”

Fast forward again; not many decades later, in that same nation, on one of the most well-known game shows, three highly vetted contestants were asked on national television to remember one missing word from the first line of what is probably the most well-known prayer in history. All three contestants were silent. Not even one attempted to fill in the missing word. The word was “hallowed”—”Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”

It was a very telling moment that should break the hearts of all those who fear God and a cause of great concern for the future. The only hope for America is not to be found in science, social agendas, politics, or anything other than a return to the reverence and fear of God.

The return to God must begin with prayer, a broken spirit, and a contrite heart. Will this only come by way of an event even more tragic than the attack on 9/11? Will it even come at all?

All of our hope lies in God. We can only reach Him through prayer, and Jesus taught us how we should pray. He did not say we had to memorize and recite prayers or chant religious mantras. Jesus said not to use vain repetitions but to pray from the heart as moved by the Spirit. When you are moved in your heart to pray the Lord’s Prayer, pray it; always pray whatever the Lord puts on your heart—He is a God of the heart.

The Apostle Paul emphasized the believer’s father-child relationship with God: “For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, ‘Abba, Father.'” “The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.”

The first thing Jesus said when he set the example of how to pray was to acknowledge God as Father. In doing so, we lay claim to His promises and assert that by reconciliation through the blood and resurrection of Christ, we are accepted by Him as His children, and He answers our prayers.

The Lord concluded his supplication to the Father, claiming victory over all things by His infinite and eternal power—”Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”