A Prayer About Racial Injustice

At our prayer meeting on Saturday morning we prayed about all that has been going on in the US following the killing of George Floyd, leading to the anger and rage of many both in the US and around the world. The events highlight the ongoing presence of racism and prejudice in the US and further afield. There has been an uprising of protests, many peaceful, some not so peaceful. God’s people are called to speak up for justice and have often spearheaded the call for a more just world, speaking out about racism – we think of William Wilberforce and Martin Luther King.  We are called to contend for a more just and equal world, to show God’s value for each and every person – all made equal and valued in God’s sight. Alongside many other ways one thing we can do today is pray to our just God, the maker of all people.

Father God, we call out to you and lift our broken world to you. We pray for a more just, more equal world, we thank you for the example of some of those in positions of power humbly kneeling and asking for forgiveness, but we also see and observe others in power not acknowledging the injustice that has taken place, both recently and that which is deeply ingrained in our world, in our institutions, in our history and in our culture.

We want to say sorry for any prejudices we might hold, and ask that you would help us to see your world and the people you have created like you see them. Lord, help us to humbly listen and show is our blind spots of ignorance.

Lord, we bring before you all the hurt and pain that is so evident in the US right now. We pray that you would heal the wounds, pour out your love and grace and through this pain might bring lasting change. We pray for political leaders, give wisdom, convict where it’s needed and give guidance that leads to decisions that brings people together, not apart.

Lord, help us in the UK, to do what we can do to eradicate racism that is still evident in our country too, as seen in our communities and on the football fields for example. We pray against divides in our culture, be those racial, political, cultural or other. As a favourite children’s book of mine says thank you we are all part of your really good idea.

We thank you that you made each of us different, but that we your church, are an example of people of every kind, gathered together as people loved by you. A richer community because of its diversity.

Father God, teach us what it means to play our part in seeing your just kingdom come here on earth as in heaven, and may your spirit teach is how to pray and act not just in this moment when this ongoing issue is on our screens, but for the long haul confronting this issue of injustice and others that require courage to speak out against too.

We join with the prayers of your people.

In Jesus name.

Amen

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