This past Sunday marked an important day at College Park Church. It was both Sanctity of Life Sunday and the day before Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Both are incredibly significant to our church and there was no one better to pray into such things on the behalf of our congregation than my friend, Pastor David Michael. You can read a transcript of his prayer below.
Lord Jesus,
Darkness trembles before You and shadows cannot deny Your light because You are the Light—who opens eyes that are blind and brings out, from the prisons of unbelief, those who sit in darkness.
O God, grant us the grace to live in Your light. Keep our eyes on You who endured the cross and despised the shame
- so that we can be reconciled with You.
- so that we can sing You are “for us and not against us” and “chosen and not forsaken.”
- so that we can be called children of God.
- so that we can be brothers and sisters, adopted into your family, members of Your household.
And yet, Lord, today marks a painful reminder of the alienation that still exists in our nation, and our city and our churches.
Forgive us, Lord, for our sins and the sins of our forefathers that have erected walls between brothers and sisters of other races. Forgive us for setting ourselves apart by differences that don’t matter to you. O Lord Jesus, please shatter these walls with your reconciling power. Shatter them with your word that is sharper than a two-edged sword. Break us out of our separateness until we turn from our fear and hostility; to Christ-exalting love support and brotherhood.
Spare us, Lord, from living fruitless or wasted lives while thousands die before their first breath and thousands more live only to die forever.
Keep us courageous in our efforts to build bridges of grace that can hold the weight of truth, and as we anticipate the 46th anniversary of Roe V Wade, we pray that the day will soon come when abortion is unthinkable. We ask that no effort—in your name—to advance the cause for life and justice inside and outside the womb, would be in vain.
Spare us, Lord, from living fruitless or wasted lives while thousands die before their first breath and thousands more live only to die forever. Help us, by Your Spirit, to spend our lives and all that we have for the spread of the Gospel; the influence of Truth and the glory of Your name.
Open our ears now to your Word. Strengthen our souls and keep them well until that day when your Kingdom comes in all its fullness. That day when the clouds are rolled back like a scroll, and the trump resounds, and You descend to claim all of Your people for Yourself, from every tribe and every tongue and every race, wiping every tear from every eye—that day when racism and abortion and death shall be no more, and mourning and crying and alienation and indifference and pain will be gone forever!
All praise to You for making all things new!
To you be the glory both now and forever–Amen!