A Prayer For Change

Lord, help us.

Our black brothers and sisters are hurting. They’ve been hurting. For so long.

Help us to come alongside them and to stand for justice. We pray the systems of oppression and marginalization will be dissolved. We pray for the building up of systems that treat all people as equals regardless of their skin color, or social and economic status.

Lord, in Isaiah 1:17, you tell us to “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” Help us to remember these words. Etch them onto our hearts. Let us care for those around us in both uplifting word and action.

It is time, Father. It’s been time. Our hearts cry out for change.

As a white woman, my eyes have been open to the privilege that I have lived my entire life with. I am in a season of learning and growing. A season of listening. I need to reeducate myself, and learn more about the history of my black brothers and sisters in this country. I no longer want to be in this place of ignorance.

Lord, open our eyes. Help us to see what breaks your heart, and to come alongside where you are working.

Lord, may your Holy Spirit lead us. May we move into the direction of where the Spirit is grieving and seek to help alleviate some of the pain.

Lord, use us. Use me.

Help me to be an instrument of peace and reconciliation in this broken world. Teach me when to speak. And more importantly, when to be silent.

I lift up my black brothers and sisters to you, Father. I pray for healing for their hearts. I pray for healing for our nation. I pray for an end to the senseless deaths. I pray for the grieving hearts of those who have lost loved ones.

Eric Garner. Michael Brown. Tamir Rice. Walter Scott. Alton Sterling. Philando Castile. Stephon Clark. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. George Floyd. Jacob Blake.

And so many more.

Lord, I pray for unity. I pray our eyes will be lifted to you. To the heavens. I pray for lines of division to washed away. I pray that above all, more than any other title, we will call ourselves Your children.

That more than being liberal, conservative, Republican, Democrat, rich, poor, black, white, citizen or immigrant – we will be called a child of God. I pray that is the label, the name, that we hold above all else. The place we live and speak out of.

Lord, break my heart for what breaks yours. Break our hearts for what breaks yours. Heal our nation, Lord. Heal the hurts. Heal the pain.

Just like the song says, Father, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.” Let that be true, Lord. Break down the dividing walls of hostility. Help us to see how we can be instruments of Your peace.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Let the words I speak bring unity, and not perpetuate division and anger and discord.

Help me to live my life according to your will. Help me to remember that all battles are battles of the spiritual realm. And make Isaiah 1:17 an anthem for my life.

In Your Glorious Name I pray.

Amen.