A Prayer for the Nation and the Church
Grace Meridian Hill
Sunday, November 13, 2016
HEAVENLY FATHER,
Have mercy on us. This morning, we are a divided Nation and, across the nation, a divided Church. We need you. This election has stirred up a lot of pain and resentment. In many ways, it didn’t create the wounds and divisions; it only revealed what was already there. Which tells us that the problems run deep. So, we need a deeper helping, a deeper strengthening, a deeper saving — one that you alone can provide by your deep, deep love for us. We need you. Heal us, O Savior.
Lord, a lot of people voted for Donald Trump — or for any candidate — for a lot of different reasons. This included many Christians who were earnestly seeking your righteousness and your kingdom only in different ways. Voting is a complex thing. Help us to be a church that honors and protects the freedom of conscience of voters (Matt. 15:9; Acts 4:19).
But, Lord, a lot of people are hurting today because of the election’s results — and you call us to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39) and to “bear one another’s burdens” (Gal. 6:2). And so we will.
We pray for our Muslim neighbors, our African American and Latino neighbors, undocumented neighbors, our gay and lesbian neighbors, many of whom feel nervous today, even terrified for their own safety. We pray that you would keep them safe. We pray against any violence, any acts or intentions of evil against them — against anyone! — whether with words or with deeds.
Many Christians of color, Black and Brown and Immigrant brothers and sisters in particular, including many in our church community, are weary today. You call your followers to be a Family. But we, your Church, have got some serious family dysfunction to deal with. Many family members are feeling a sense of betrayal. Many of our sisters in Christ feel belittled. Many of our immigrant brothers and sisters are fearful. Holy Spirit, we pray for the ability to move toward each other, to listen to one another. Remove our defensiveness and our vitriol. Help us to be “slow to speak and quick to listen” (Jas. 1:19). Give us grace to repent and reconcile as needed, according to your timing. May we be “one body” (Eph. 4:3-6), your body, again.
Let this be a reality in every Church this week: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it.” (1 Cor. 12:26). Which is why we also pray for rural, working-class white communities around the country. As we’ve heard, many of them went to the voting booth feeling forgotten and neglected. These are our neighbors, and those among them who are in Christ are our brothers and sisters — whom you’ve called us to love. We pray that the Church would be a place where all people will feel seen and known and transformed by the gospel of grace.
And we need the comfort of one another, yes, but help us to turn most of all to YOU (Ps. 73:25-26). Not with “God bless America” platitudes, but with the realness and rawness of tears AND the richness of your promises found in scripture.
And we pray again for the American Church. O Jesus, droves of people who profess and identify with your Name came out in support of one whom many have described as a “racist,” “misogynist,” “narcissist,” and “demagogue.” Many voters disagree with this characterization; nevertheless, because of it, the public reputation of the Church has been associated with these evils. Have mercy on your Church, O Christ — not for our name’s sake but for yours, not for our personal reputation but for yours and your Church’s and your gospel’s. Restore the witness of your people.
This morning we also pray for President-elect Trump, as you have called us to pray for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-2). We pray for his transition team and his staff and cabinet appointments. We pray that Mr. Trump would serve with a “fear of the Lord,” a deep sense of accountability before God for the authority entrusted him (Rom. 13:1-5). Please give him your justice and your righteousness (Ps. 72:1-2). You tell us in Proverbs that “the king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will” (21:1). We ask that your hand will direct Mr. Trump’s heart, that he would serve as an image of the True King: serving all the people under his care, especially the marginalized and oppressed (Ps. 72:12-14). And protect us all from placing our hope in human authorities, whether the one we got or the one we wish we had gotten, for you warn us: “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save” (Ps. 146:3). Jesus, we put our ultimate trust in you.
O Lord, we put all our hope in you. You tell us in the Psalms that your “eyes watch the nations” (66:7). Please watch over our nation. You tell us you “rule over the nations” (Ps. 22:28). Please rule over us. Please heal our nation, not because we deserve it, indeed, not “because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy” (Dan. 9:18).
Now, help us to be faithful. Help us to direct our energy and passions most of all to “ordinary” acts of service, of kindness, of justice — in the home, on our street blocks, in our places of work. Give us grace to serve the common good and seek the flourishing of our communities, whatever our role might be. Help us to be good neighbors, bearing the name and the image of Christ in all we do. What we’re really asking, Lord, is help us to love again. To love one another. To love our neighbor as ourselves. To love you with all our heart, soul, and strength.
To whom else can we turn in such a time of trouble? O Lord, on behalf of our nation, on behalf of our city, on behalf of our neighborhood, on behalf of our church and our own souls, we hope in you.
“Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act!” (Dan. 9:19)
“The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps. 27:1)
O Lord, we seek you face (Ps. 27:8).
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen
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