Evening, morning, and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice.

Psalm 55:17, KJV (A Psalm of David)

Issac Potts was a Tory Quaker during the time of the Revolutionary War. He was a Tory, not because he was sympathetic with England's cause, but because he was a Quaker. The Quakers were firmly against any sort of war, and a result, could not support the cause even though their sympathies were often with the Patriots. Anyway, Mr. Potts owned a farm close to where the Colonialists were spending the Winter of 1777-78 in Valley Forge.

He was travelling home through the woods one day when he was surprised to hear a voice coming from a dark section within one of its groves. He went to investigate, only to be more surprised to see the Commander of the Army, George Washington, alone and on his knees in prayer. Issac viewed this scene in silence, waiting for the future President to arise from his prayer, mount his horse and presumably head back for camp. He would later comment that Washington's expression upon arising from prayer was one of complete serenity. Imagine that, during this particularly trying winter at Valley Forge!

When Issac Potts arrived at home to his wife, he was out of breath with excitement. "Sarah, my dear Sarah. all is well, all is well! George Washington will yet prevail." His wife asked him what he was so excited about, and Issac related the remarkable event he had just been witness to. He went on to tell his wife that until that point, he would have never believed that the sword and the Gospel could ever be compatible, but that his stumbling across the Commander of the army, deep in prayer, had convinced him otherwise. In fact, he was convinced for the first time that the revolutionists could actually win the war.

All this from just one prayer? Well, the fact is that George Washington was well known by his Army associates to take frequent time out for prayer. Later, at his behest, the entire nation would take part in days of fasting and prayer for their noble cause. As we all know, they did prevail - against all odds. Despite the fact that the Americans were widely disdained for their "ragtag" group of undisciplined warriors, added to the fact that England was the world's foremost superpower, the Colonials still won the war! And perhaps the only plausible explanation for their doing so was because they were determined to do what was right before God and continually beseeched Him for His guidance and blessings.   

How I wish that America's statesmen were of a similar mind today! Maybe then we could have a reasonable hope for a return to some semblance of the great nation we once were... when we were still a nation that viewed God as our only Sovereign and were wise enough to realize that our leaders should be servants of God and of the people, in that order.

It probably wouldn't hurt if in the absence of our leaders coming to their righteous senses through a genuine repentance, if we the people would repent and return to prayer ourselves. Perhaps then we could get back to the way things ought to be, instead of this divided mess of a nation we seem to be at the present time. Come to think about it, there has never been a time when it wasn't a good idea to pray, as King David so wisely said, in the evening, at morning, and at noon!