Why 50 Days?
The Jubilee. There is a concept in the scriptures, introduced by God into the culture of His people, called the “Jubilee” year (see Leviticus chapter 25:8-13). It occurred every 50 years and it was a year when, among other things, all debts were cancelled. Have we not incurred a mountain of spiritual, social, and economic debt from which only God can free us? So we are encouraging participants to cry out to God for a spiritual jubilee at this time in our nation’s history.
50 States. In our amazing union there are 50 states, which we believe was ordained by God and almost certainly reflective of the jubilee concept in that the nation was conceived as a land where men were essentially free to worship God and to enjoy “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” in an historically unique way; however poorly we may have stewarded the privilege.
Therefore, for each day of the 50 day season, along with the overarching emphases of the fast, we are encouraging you to pray for one of our 50 states. Each state has been assigned a day in the order in which it entered the union. We can all pray for that state on that day.
Also, on the day designated for your state we are encouraging you, as a resident, to basically “tend your own back yard” individually and corporately. For example:
* Prayerfully consider what sins and struggles have historically characterized your state. Ask God to corporately forgive you for and help you with those things.
* Prayerfully consider what historical wrongs may never have been put fully right, and how they could be repented of at this time. Perhaps you could help organize a time of corporate prayer, or public occasion of repentance involving representatives of the offenders and the offended.
* Pray for your elected national representatives. Consider what your state has contributed to the governance of the nation. Have your elected representatives been agents of righteousness or wickedness, wisdom or folly? Have they, perhaps unwittingly, permitted the federal government to grow so big that it has in some ways become as much a threat to our wellbeing as a protector of it? Humbly ask God to help those who serve you in those capacities at present to do so in the fear of the Lord and wisdom, or be replaced if they will not. We know there could be some differences of opinion on some social and economic issues, but at least try to come into agreement on the more obvious issues such as protection for the unborn.
* Pray for all the political, social, and church leaders and gatekeepers of your state, county, city, church, etc. Pray that they will guard and protect the interests of those who they represent and for whom they are responsible; especially, but not exclusively, those who are too weak to protect themselves.