Prayersgiving

From November 26, 2015

Today is Thanksgiving. May it also be a Prayersgiving. In no particular order...

We pray for Jamar Clark, and the too-many other victims of guns and fear-of-otherness, who will not get to celebrate another Thanksgiving or Christmas. We pray for their families whose tables will hold an empty place setting.

We pray for police officers, who face the risk of violence every day. Please God, bring Your wisdom and calming influence into every interaction.

We pray for families in Lebanon and Paris who long for one more evening meal with their loved ones.

We pray for the terrorists who we (Americans) have driven to extremism. Bring them heavenly peace in their hearts.

We pray for loved ones of terrorist attacks that go unnoticed by our news media.

We pray for the systemic violence of American culture and of our world.

We pray for our own insecurities when colliding with people who look or act differently than we do, and our ignorance of our own privileges and advantages.

We pray for those in our communities that we have labeled unforgivable. Sex offenders, murderers, drug dealers, prostitutes, the ones that we label as beyond God's Grace, ignoring Jesus' love for them.

We pray for young women and men trapped in the sex industry, whom we judge rather than help.

We pray for politicians, for conversations rather than yelling matches.

We pray for those who have nowhere to celebrate Thanksgiving, no one with whom to celebrate it, and nowhere to call home.

We pray we would answer Your call actively to be Your Kingdom here on earth, instead of waiting for someone else to do it.