He makes nations great, and destroys them;
He enlarges nations, and guides them.
~Job 12:23~
At the start of the Illinois General Assembly session on Wednesday, April 30th – one day before the annual National Day of Prayer – State Representative Nicolle Grasse (D-Arlington Heights) was asked to give the opening prayer. Instead of taking a few minutes to thank God for His goodness and humbly asking for His help, wisdom, and direction for their work, Representative Grasse decided to lead the assembled officials in a moment of irreverence.
You have to watch and listen to this two-minute video clip to believe it:
Yes, Representative Grasse asked her colleagues to join her in a hum. A hum.
She continued by explaining:
That shared hum we did together, a gentle wave of sound reminds us though we come from many places with many ideas, we can still find resonance with one another. We do not have to be identical to be in harmony. We only have to be willing. Willing to listen, to contribute, to bring our own voice while holding space for the other.
The hum fades, but the connection it creates remains. It reminds us that unity is not uniformity and strength is not silence, but shared purpose. As we turn to the work of the people, may we bring that spirit, each of us distinct, each of us essential, moving together toward a greater, common good. Amen.
She ended her comments with an “amen,” even though her empty words were clearly not directed at the Creator God (Gen 1:1-2; Col 1:16), the One who sustains all things… (Heb 1:3).
Humming is common in modern spiritual movements, often borrowed from Eastern traditions or used in so-called sound healing practices. It is also used in various meditative traditions (e.g., Bhramari Pranayama in yoga or Tibetan chanting) to calm the mind, stimulate the vagus nerve, and enhance relaxation.
From the Hindu Blog:
In Hinduism, humming holds profound spiritual, mental, and physical significance. Humming, particularly through chanting mantras, creates vibrations that align the mind, body, and spirit with the universe’s natural rhythm. It is viewed as a powerful practice that can enhance meditation, mindfulness, and spiritual awareness.
One of the so-called benefits to humming, according to the blog, is connecting with “the divine.”
This evil people, who refuse to hear My words,
who follow the dictates of their hearts,
and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them,
shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing.
~Jeremiah 13:10~
Do we have to wonder why Illinois is in such a sad state of affairs? We have not just forgotten God and His Word, but we have also willingly shunned the opportunities we have to be serious about seeking His guidance, mercy, and grace.
Political corruption, fiscal mismanagement, budget deficits, pension crisis, and population decline are festering wounds that are only exacerbated by the spiking rates of abortion, fatherlessness, drug use, gambling addictions, crime, depression, suicide, etc.
But let’s hum to make ourselves feel good.
These problems are not going away until Christians get serious about prayer, the Great Commission, and God’s gift of self-government.
The Bible contains several warnings about the consequences of ignoring God. One passage from Proverbs 28 states that the wicked flee when no one is pursuing. The Apostle Paul explains in Romans 1:18-32:
For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools…
Brothers and sisters in Christ, it is unmistakably evident that our elected officials need us to be praying for them… interceding for them, every day of the week. Pray that their hearts would be softened and their eyes would be opened to God’s truth and wisdom. (Prov 1:20-33)
We are also called to shine the Light of Christ in every area of our culture. God created three indispensable institutions: the family, the church, and government. In which one did He forbid Christian involvement?
Pray for Nicolle Grasse and for all of our state representatives. May they all come to know the God of the Bible, His Son – our Savior, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Pray that God reveals Himself to the lawmakers who have either rejected Him or are oblivious to Him. Pray for their eternal souls.
Pray that God’s people would awaken to the fallen state of our state and shine their lights in the public square and at the voting booth.
Reverence for God, or Ignorance of Him
George Washington is traditionally quoted as saying, “It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible.” He also wrote this in an official proclamation:
I now make it my earnest prayer that God would… most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of the mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion. (June 8, 1783)
It is also worth remembering that during the U.S. Constitutional Convention in 1787, Benjamin Franklin reportedly exhorted his fellow delegates, saying:
Our prayers, sir, were heard and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor. Have we now forgotten this powerful friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?
When the Convention began running into difficulties, Franklin argued that the delegates should humble themselves and ask for God’s assistance in illuminating their understanding and guiding their decisions. He concluded by proposing that the Constitutional Convention should hold prayers every morning, emphasizing his belief in divine intervention in human affairs.
Prayers… not hums.
