Prayer for Comfort, Justice, and Mercy
Prayer for Comfort, Justice, and Mercy
“I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” – John 14:25-26, NRSV
God of comfort,
We are worn out with grief. For over three months we have helplessly watched as the pandemic spread around the world. How many millions have suffered greatly? How many hundreds of thousands have died?
In our love we grieve for those who have suffered, and those who have died. Why, O Lord? Why do good people suffer? Why do those who are careful to protect themselves and their neighbors die just like those who are careless and selfish?
We call upon your Spirit, the Comforter, to ease our emotional pain, and our physical suffering. Walk beside us through the grief of the valley of the shadow of death. Teach us to open our hearts to receive your presence, that we may know your comfort. Help us to remember how your love heals our grief.
God of justice,
We are disgusted and angry that another black man has died unjustly. We add his name to the list of others who have lost their lives, simply because of the color of their skin. How many have suffered the injustice of racism? How many minds are corrupted by the distortions of white supremacy?
In our compassion and empathy we hurt for those who are oppressed because of their race. Why, O Lord? Why must their pain be ignored? Why can’t we accept that black lives matter, simply because they are your beloved children?
We call upon your Spirit, the Advocate, to empower our disgust and anger, directing us to stand with one another as brothers and sisters, your beloved children. Teach us to love one another. Help us to remember how you reached beyond your own kind to accept others into your love.
God of love and mercy,
You are love. You have shown us your love and called us to follow in your way of love. And yet, we so often choose not to love. We look at what is different in another person and we separate ourselves. Instead of rainbows we see only gray, dull skies.
You call us to follow you, but we struggle to walk in your path. Forgive us, O God, for our failure to love. Forgive us for our inability to see what prevents us from loving our neighbors. Forgive us for not seeing their pain, for not hearing their cries, for not adjusting our lives to help them. Lord, have mercy upon us.
We call upon your Spirit to teach us all things, and to remind us what you taught, for we are slow to learn, and hard of listening. Be present with us as we stumble along your way of love. For in all our suffering, injustice, and lack of love, we are always your beloved children. Thanks be to God!
Amen
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Submitted by:
Greg Smith, Director of Legacy Ministry, First Baptist Decatur