Do it Again Lord, Do It Again!

“Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!”


Psalm 80:19


It was Saturday September 15, 2001 just days after planes were used in acts of terror against the United States of America on 9/11 that a prayer vigil was held for our country and Pastor Max Lucado wrote this prayer for the national prayer event,

Dear Lord,

We’re still hoping we’ll wake up. We’re still hoping we’ll open a sleepy eye and think, What a horrible dream.

But we won’t, will we, Father? What we saw was not a dream. Planes did gouge towers. Flames did consume our fortress. People did perish. It was no dream and, dear Father, we are sad.

There is a ballet dancer who will no longer dance and a doctor who will no longer heal. A church has lost her priest, a classroom is minus a teacher. Cora ran a food pantry. Paige was a counselor and Dana, dearest Father, Dana was only three years old. (Who held her in those final moments?)

We are sad, Father. For as the innocent are buried, our innocence is buried as well. We thought we were safe. Perhaps we should have known better. But we didn’t.

And so we come to you. We don’t ask you for help; we beg you for it. We don’t request it; we implore it. We know what you can do. We’ve read the accounts. We’ve pondered the stories and now we plead, Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

Remember Joseph? You rescued him from the pit. You can do the same for us. Do it again, Lord.

Remember the Hebrews in Egypt? You protected their children from the angel of death. We have children, too, Lord. Do it again.

And Sarah? Remember her prayers? You heard them. Joshua? Remember his fears? You inspired him. The women at the tomb? You resurrected their hope. The doubts of Thomas? You took them away. Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

You changed Daniel from a captive into a king’s counselor. You took Peter the fisherman and made him Peter an apostle. Because of you, David went from leading sheep to leading armies. Do it again, Lord, for we need counselors today, Lord. We need apostles. We need leaders. Do it again, dear Lord.

Most of all, do again what you did at Calvary. What we saw here on that Tuesday, you saw there on that Friday. Innocence slaughtered. Goodness murdered. Mothers weeping. Evil dancing. Just as the ash fell on our children, the darkness fell on your Son. Just as our towers were shattered, the very Tower of  Eternity was pierced.

And by dusk, heaven’s sweetest song was silent, buried behind a rock.

But you did not waver, 0 Lord. You did not waver. After three days in a dark  hole, you rolled the rock and rumbled the earth and turned the darkest Friday into the brightest Sunday. Do it again, Lord. Grant us a September Easter.

We thank you, dear Father, for these hours of unity. Disaster has done what  discussion could not. Doctrinal fences have fallen. Republicans are standing with Democrats. Skin colors have been covered by the ash of burning buildings. We thank you for these hours of unity.

And we thank you for these hours of prayer. The Enemy sought to bring us to our knees and succeeded. He had no idea, however, that we would kneel before you. And he has no idea what you can do.

Let your mercy be upon our President, Vice President, and their families.  Grant to those who lead us wisdom beyond their years and experience.  Have mercy upon the souls who have departed and the wounded who remain.  Give us grace that we might forgive and faith that we might believe.

And look kindly upon your church.  For two thousand years you’ve used her to heal a hurting world.

Do IT again, Lord. Do it again.

Through Christ, Amen.


As I watch the news and read the headlines around the world today I believe Max Lucado’s prayer is a wonderful prayer to be praying in these challenging days. “Do it again, Lord. Do it again!” In Psalm 80 the writer is asking God to do it again, to bless the nation of Israel who had turned from God and His ways and now was repentant and turning back to God. The Psalmist knows first hand the only hope the people have is for God to show them the same grace now that He had in the past. Only God Himself was capable of turning their darkness to light, to reverse the curse their evil deeds had caused. But would He?

The Psalmist is crying out to God to do it again and to cause He face to shine on the nation as he knows by faith what we have come to know in reality, and that being that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever! God is not only a blessing God, He is a forgiving God too! When we come humbly before the throne of God in prayer, broken and contrite, God not only promises to forgive us our sin but as well He promises to restore our soul. Salvation has three tenses, past, present and future. God has forgiven us our past sins, He forgives our present sins and promises to even forgive our future sins and all because of the precious blood of His Son, our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Yes, loved one, if God did it once He can and will do it again! If you need forgiveness of sin today cry out to the only one who is capable of both forgiving your sin and in turn causing the blessings of heaven to rain down on you as He causes His face to shine upon you. Yes, loved one, if God could do it once, He can do it again! Lets join in prayer for ourselves, our families, our friends, as well as our country and this world! Revive us oh Lord!  


“God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us. Selah”

Psalm 67:1


I LOVE YOU!