Editor’s Note: This week we are simply posting a few prayers by saints as we cry out, asking God to do through prayer what we cannot.
Join me as we utilize the most powerful weapon we have in this fight for justice, prayer. Let’s pray:
O God of Highest heaven, before we petition we must acknowledge. We must acknowledge that you are God all by yourself. Holy is not simply a description of you, it is what you are at your essence. You are set apart, you are without blemish, you are unlike us. And in your otherness, we acknowledge you are up to 10,000 different things but we may be aware of only 3. Lord, we trust that was the case yesterday, today, and will be tomorrow.
The Psalmist says you know the numbers of hairs on our head. You know and care and love each and every one of us intimately. And therefore we can only conclude that you are saddened, angered, and moved when the lives of one of your image bearers are taken away. Lord, we confess that the regularity of these injustices are too weighty to bear. We confess that, although you have said that vengeance is yours, we often want to make it ours. We confess that at times we have not only been angry, but we have been in sin in our anger. Lord at times our sadness is too much, hope feels distant, and justice seems foreign.
But God… Whom have we in heaven but you, there is none on earth we desire besides you. Though our flesh and our heart, and our justice system, and our churches, and our friends, and our family, and our circumstances, and our country may fail, you O God are the strength of our portion forever. Father, we give you thanks that we do not have to mourn like the world mourns. Instead, we mourn knowing that you are fully aware of every tear that we shed. Aware of every burden and every sorrow. The world, the Flesh and the devil attempt to leave us without hope. But because of your Son Jesus we will always have hope. Father, today and everyday we look at the cross and we not only feel, but know, that you care. Lord, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Christ made a way for us… and in that we have hope. Thank you Jesus for not leaving us on an earth full of injustice without hope.
Father, as we pilgrim in this barren land, Lord we ask for your Spirit to help us. Help us to be angry yet not sin. Help us to persevere through injustice. Help us to love our neighbor as ourselves, even when our neighbor doesn’t love us! Lord you hold the hearts of kings in your hand… would you please cause change to unjust policies, would you please bring about police reform. Lord, please end police brutality. End the killing of unarmed black men and women. Lord end this injustice… But yet we cry out like the Hebrew boys, even if you don’t, we will still worship you.
Lord Jesus we need your yoke, we need to learn from you, the one who is gentle and lowly in heart, the one in whom our souls find rest. Give us rest in you. In the name of our just and kind and compassionate God.
