• Feature image (above): “Passing the peace at WFPC”

But if we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from everything we’ve done wrong. – 1 John 1:9

This morning, with the echoes of hate and confusion still ringing in our ears, I’d like to encourage all my sisters and brothers to pray. To pray, not so much for God to impose change from the outside (though at times I believe that would be nice), but that God will change us on the insides, and that we will then be more equipped to effect change.

It’s all, I constantly write, about the light. About us being light in the darkness. We must be more deeply faithful people, so that we can shine with more integrity and tell the good story with more meaning.

Prayer in Action:

To that end I’d like to share a poem/prayer written by one of our teenagers at Wake Forest Presbyterian Church. She was deeply moved by the death of the teen I featured in last week’s post, Grace Doesn’t Bypass Tragedy – as well as the news coming out of Charlottesville.

Her response, one we can all learn from, was to pray. Rebekah read the prayer, and then asked her to lead the “Prayers of the People” portion in worship Sunday morning. The moment was powerful. If you pay attention to the accented rhyming beats at the end of the lines, you can tell the form she used is rap. If you listen to your heart as you read, you will be blessed. If you listen to the Holy Spirit, you will be moved to live in light and in truth.

Jordan’s Prayer:

Here it is. I pray you will be so moved. “Prayers of the People” – by Jordan Snow:

Dear God,

Glorious God

Today I pray for the broken far and wide

For the hurt that turns out insides outside

For the times we raise our heads to the sky

And ask why? Why God?

It’s in these times

We cannot stray

Despite if we do

YOU always stay

There is no darkness in that YOUR light cannot shine

There are no mistakes

or imperfections of YOUR design

There is no emptiness that YOU cannot fill

There is no one unworthy of YOUR love still

There is no tomorrow that the sun won’t rise for

And there is no Son or Daughter that YOU didn’t die for

Now, God please remind us that we are yours

ALL OF US

From the very ends of this Earth

We are ALL your children

And God loves ALL his children

But in this day and age it’s forgotten

Copious hate and discrimination we are lost in

How can we paraphrase a book written 3500 years ago

Just because we fear what we don’t know

No matter how they identify

No matter whom they may be

No matter what they have or haven’t done

No matter their sin

No matter their mistakes

No matter their inescapable morality

WE ARE ALL LOVED BY YOU

You are the one who calls us to love like you 

Through our Lord Jesus

Unconditionally, without borders, without ceasing

To love hard, to love strong, to love always

We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus.

(Jordan Snow, August 13, 2017)

Rebekah (left) – Jordan (right)

prayer and worship at WFPC