Praying for a 'Renewed Spirit of Justice'
May 1 was the National Day of Prayer, and President Donald Trump issued a proclamation that included thanking "God for His endless blessings" and asking Him to "grant us fortitude, wisdom, and a renewed spirit of justice." The Scripture focus selected for this year was Romans 15:13, which reads: "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Many churches nationwide held prayer services to pray for the direction of our country, our political leaders and their local communities. Many people also gathered at courthouses and their places of worship to lift their voices in one accord for healing and togetherness, as our political climate continues to become more conflict-ridden.
It was interesting that Romans 15:13 was selected as the Scripture for 2025's prayer day since this verse does not address governance. In the numerous prayers I have heard from pastors interceding for our elected officials, many use the well-known Bible verses in 1 Timothy 2:1-3, which urge us to make supplications for "all that are in authority." Romans 15:13 is a prayer that primarily emphasizes the authority one exercises from being empowered by the Holy Spirit. Power in this verse is translated in the Greek as "dunamis," meaning abundant, miraculous ability. In praying this verse, one can decree that hope will flourish due to the capability to enact change in fighting for what is right and just.
Given that media headlines have been accentuating that Trump's approval ratings are hovering in the low to mid-40s in several polls, this probably motivates many to ask God to intervene in his decision-making. An PBS News/NPR/Marist survey released at the end of April showed that 45% of its respondents gave Trump a grade of "F" for his first 100 days in his second term. Only 41% of participants in a CNN poll conducted by SSRS thought the president was doing a good job. When breaking down approval ratings by race, a February Pew Research Center survey showed that only 19% of adult African Americans gave Trump a positive assessment compared to 55% of adult Whites who graded him favorably. The Pew survey consisted of 5,086 panelists compared to a sample size of 1,678 adults for the CNN poll and 1,439 contributors to the NPR survey. I think it's essential to keep the sample sizes in mind since none of them are close in number to the overall U.S. population. Yet they provide insight into how some people think regarding the policies Trump is prioritizing for his administration.
In reflecting on the low evaluation of Trump's job performance by Blacks in the Pew survey, I thought about a column I wrote in 2020 in which I shared with readers that my church ended one of our Bible study sessions by praying for Trump. African American participants in a Washington Post-Ipsos poll that year expressed they felt Trump had made the racial divide worse while he was in office. Our prayer was that God would continue to have mercy on our nation and guide our leaders into finding common ground. I'm pretty sure that many of the Black respondents in the 2025 polls I mentioned believe racial tensions will be aggravated more due to Trump's DEI laws, which are quickly reversing the gains of civil rights legislation from the past 60 years. As diversity programs and initiatives are being purged at the federal and state levels of government, there is apprehension regarding where our country is headed.
For those of us who believe in the power of prayer, this is definitely a time when our faith is being tested, but we must persevere and never lose infinite hope. It will no doubt be difficult for those who did not vote for Trump to intercede for him, but the beauty of faith is that God enables us to view others with compassion. Compassion and understanding are needed for an authentic "renewed spirit of justice" to come to pass.
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Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at Ohio State University's Lima campus. Email her at smojc.jj@gmail.com. Follow her on X: @JjSmojc. To find out more about Jessica Johnson and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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