We Have A Part To Play
There is so much happening with the racial tensions in our country that is breaking God’s heart and out of alignment with His Kingdom. All people, regardless of race, bare the image of God and we as a church have a part to play in participating in the healing God wants to bring to this issue in our world. Even though many of us may not be experiencing the intensity of these events here in Lake Country, we believe there are ways God is inviting us to join Him in this work. In fact, one of the major Biblical themes all throughout the Old and New Testament is that it is the responsibility of the powerful to fight for the dignity and well-being of those without the same power. It’s what God did for us, and what He expects His people to do for others.
The goal of this prayer guide is to ask God to move in mighty ways in our community, but also to open ourselves up to what the Spirit of God is doing in our community and allow God to shape our hearts.
Prayer Guide for Racial Tensions
Introduction and Purpose
The goal of this prayer guide is to ask God to move in mighty ways in our community, but also to open ourselves up to what the Sprit of God is doing in our community and allow God to shape our hearts. We all have lenses through which we see the world and interpret words and actions. Part of what it means to be a follower of Jesus is to let Him reshape our lenses to see things closer to the way God sees them and reshape our hearts in order to love people better. This is a lifelong pursuit that happens through reading God’s Word, dialoguing with other people, meditating on God’s truths, and through prayer.
The current tensions in our country are incredibly complex and more nuanced than a tweet or soundbite could possibly communicate. It doesn’t fit easily into a box and there are no simple ‘answers.’ You may not want to pray for some of the things in this prayer guide and that’s ok! Part of allowing God to reshape our lenses involves getting out of our comfort zone and letting Him expand our vision and understanding of His Kingdom.
Be Still
- Start by getting comfortable. Let your body relax and your mind quiet down.
- Take a few deep breaths. Breathe in and breathe out slowly.
- Ask God to make His presence known to you.
- Take some time to sit in and soak up God’s presence
Confession and Submission
Read Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
- Confess your need for God’s perspective.
- Invite the Sprit of God to transform your heart where it needs transformation.
- Pray for courage as you submit your heart to God for transformation.
Prayer for the Kingdom
Read Matthew 6:9-13
“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
- Pray that God would help you see God’s Kingdom more clearly.
- Ask God to help you recognize your bias and prejudice and lay them down at His feet.
- Pray that God would open your eyes to the ways His Kingdom values are being violated in our world.
- Pray that God would reveal the ways you need to ask for forgiveness.
Loving Our Enemies
Read Luke 6:27-31
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongsto you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
- Ask God to help you see the people you disagree with in a new light. Ask Him to show you how He sees them.
- Pray that God would reveal the biases you have against people you disagree with.
- Ask that God would reshape your tendency to hate, mistrust, and ignore into amore Christ-like response
- Ask God for the love to forgive people who have hated, mistrusted, and ignored you.
- Pray a blessing over people you disagree with.
Pray this prayer, pausing and sitting with sections or lines that feel significant for you personally:
Oh God, we are reminded today of your infinite love for all people:
All races
All colors
All political affiliations
All religious persuasions
All social classes
All economic statuses
All nations.
We confess our tendency to think that we are the best, our perspective the most righteous.
Forgive us our arrogance, Oh God.
We confess our tendency to judge others, and to condemn those we find unworthy.
Forgive us our presumption, Oh God.
We see others with criticism.
You see us all with love-filled eyes.
We see only in part.
You see the world with infinite wisdom.
We see the external.
You see the heart.
Mold us to your way.
Form us to your heart.
Shape us with love.
Make us new with grace.
Our way is not of violence and empire, but in the power and beauty of the cross.
Our faith is not in politics, but in the transforming love of Christ.
May we work diligently to help see the needs of those you love, both physical and spiritual.
May our eyes be opened to the value and worth of each person we meet.
May your kingdom come, your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Amen
- Fran Pratt
Loving Our Neighbors
Read Mark 12:29-31
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Spend time praying for all the people of our nation. If you feel uncomfortable praying for something on this list, ask God to reveal to you why that is.
Police
- Pray for officers who are trying to keep peace in their communities.
- Ask God to comfort the families of police officers during this turbulent time.
- Pray for reform in our police stations. Ask God to change or remove people who are perpetuating injustice.
Protestors
- Ask God to protect the people protesting.
- Pray for the leaders of these movements as they work for reform and change.
- Pray that the anger, frustration and grief would be directed towards productive channels.
Communities
- Ask God to protect the businesses that are being looted.
- Pray that our communities would pursue healing and work towards change.
- Pray for the relief efforts in communities with rioting.
Media
- Pray that the media would report things accurately and fairly.
- Pray that the media would not stir up hate and violence against anyone.
- Pray that stories of hope and change would be amplified and give us vision for moving forward.
Families
- Pray for the families and friends of the people of color who have died at the hands of police.
- Ask God to bring supernatural comfort to their families.
- Pray that crimes would not go unpunished and that "justice would roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream” (Amos 5:24)
Politicians
- Pray that politicians would listen to the marginalized in their communities.
- Ask God to bring about laws that reflect His heart and Kingdom values.
Prayer for the Work of Peacemaking
Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-19
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Pray this prayer, pausing and sitting with sections or lines that feel significant for you personally:
God, we turn our attention now to the work of peacemaking and reconciliation.
Christ is our peace.
We remember Jesus in the throes of death, offering forgiveness and peace to those who had taunted and tormented him.
Christ is our example.
We remember Jesus after his resurrection, offering forgiveness and restoration to his disciples who had denied and forsaken him.
Christ is our leader.
We acknowledge that we have wronged others and been wronged by others, and need forgiveness applied to both.
Help us forgive others as we have been forgiven by you,
For in forgiving, we find peace and freedom.
Help us to have humility and courage,
To admit when we are wrong,
To confess and apologize,
To make amends to those we have hurt.
We acknowledge that forgiveness benefits the forgiver,
And that we can never force others to forgive us.
We acknowledge that we may never see the results of our peacemaking,
But that you see our hearts.
We thank you God, for removing our transgressions from us.
Thanks be to God
We ask for hearts conformed to the way of Christ,
Ready to offer peace; willing to forgive and be forgiven
Amen
- Fran Pratt
Petition for Wisdom
Read James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
- Confess your need for God’s wisdom and ask God to fill you up with His wisdom.
- Spend some time listening to what God wanted to show you through this prayer time.
- Ask God if there are any behaviors He might want you to stop, start, or change.
Prayer of St. Francis
Pray this prayer, pausing and sitting with sections or lines that feel significant for you personally:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen