Christians urged to unite in prayer to heal divisions

Intuitively, I think most Christians know that something is terribly wrong in our country, and for many of us that “something” is like a cancer eating away at the heart and soul of our country. The foundation of our democracy, upon which Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, have progressively built a better and more perfect union, is now, after almost 250 years, showing signs of cracks that threaten the entire superstructure.
It appears that the Good Ship USA is heading full speed ahead, into the deadliest minefield in the entire ocean, while there is a gunfight at the helm over whether to turn right or left in order to avoid disaster. The sad irony is that we have become our own greatest enemy and no outside force on planet earth can or will be able to protect us from ourselves.
We have become a divided nation with intolerance and hate for those with opposing views. At the eleventh hour, we have looked to our Congress for solutions, only to find they not only don’t have a solution, but they are too busy fueling the destructive fire to notice they are throwing gas instead of water on the flames.
I know it is a radical answer to an otherwise impossible problem, but it is time for radical solutions—since NOTHING we have done, so far, is working. The good news is, there is a solution—and the solution is infinitely superior to any solution devised by government, science, or even the most erudite preacher of the largest church in our country.
The answer is not found in the power brokers of Washington, but in the desperation of many in our factories and on our farms. The answer is not found in the wisdom of our leaders, but in the bowed knees of some of our insignificants.
The answer is not found in the peace treaties signed by dignitaries, but in the Author of peace. The answer is not found when we think we have solved the problem, but when we realize we ARE the problem.
The answer is PRAYER..and that sounds so easy, but it really isn’t. That is because there are specific guiding principles involving prayer for a nation. They are found in the book of II Chronicles, and here, I have numbered the preconditions.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
If My people who are called by My name 1) will humble themselves, and 2) pray and 3) seek My face, and 4) turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
We have one last chance! I am asking for the Christian people of Panola County (all denominations) to be an example to our nation, by joining together on the first Monday of each month (at 7 a.m. at the recently-constructed Cross near I-55) as we pray for God to save this great nation from almost certain self destruction and to HEAL OUR LAND!

David Ball is a Batesville physician.