Exclusive Excerpt: Prayer. Prophetic. Not Political.

[Phil Miglioratti]

Become Prophetic, Not Political

 

Glory to you, our Almighty God who created the human race “in your likeness.” Praise to you Lord Jesus, our Blessed Hope, who broke the curse of evil and sin and will one day rule all in perfect righteousness.

Fill us, Holy Spirit, as we pray against the sin of racial superiority that continues to produce division, distrust, and distress in every sector of our culture and across our country. Convict us so that our words (and also our works) begin to more perfectly reflect the mind of Christ and the will of our Father in heaven. That we would not merely teach and preach “Love God; love your neighbor,” but live it.

We ask you for forgiveness:

 

• for the sins of our founders, who immigrating from a foreign country, so callously conquered the inhabitants of a land we have thoughtlessly consumed.

• for the pain slaves were forced to endure for the sake of our economy and the comforts of their owners.

• for the advantage our culture gave (and often still does) to a select group of people while denying full access to freedom and

• justice to other citizens, based solely on the shade of their skin.

• for our sin of separation from one another and the heart-attitude of superiority, even hate, that divides not only our nation but has infiltrated and infects the Body of Christ.

 

We respond with contrition for our personal sin, whether by overt action or heartless apathy, but also with lament over our nation’s disgrace. We ask for an empowering of the Holy Spirit throughout the Body of Christ, so that your Church will no longer be conformed to and infected by the status quo thinking of the world. We desire to be truly and radically transformed—each of us, all of us, our congregations and communities, our country—by the renewing of our minds.

Change the way we think about “We the people,” “Liberty and justice for all,” and “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

We declare these are truly inalienable rights endowed by you for every person and people group. Reform us so that our praying,our living-working-playing, our Gospel message, and yes, even our political perspectives, demonstrate, oh God, that your will is good for all of us and perfectly suited to every human being.

With yielded hearts we ask that you lead us on a journey to:

• Reimagine what it means that all people are created in the image of God.

• Rethink how these truths should compel us to reshape your Church to be prophetic not political.

We ask in faith, with hope, knowing your love is covering a multitude of our sin. We give thanks for your grace and forgiveness. Now and always praying in the authority and name of Jesus our reconciler and unifier. Amen.

(Gen. 1:27; Matt. 22:36-40; Rom. 12:2)

 

Phil Miglioratti is the curator of the #[e-mail] and the founder of the National Pastors’ Prayer Network.

Originally published in “Make Us One”