National Day of Prayer - Prayer for Justice
May 5th was the national day of prayer and in Brooklyn, hundreds gathered together, congregants, faith leaders and pastors to pray together for our city and for each other.
There were 7 mountains, we were invited to pray for
- The Media
- The Family
- Education
- Government
- Business
- The Church
And I was honored to pray for Justice, including the police force and the military
This was the prayer I lead the people in today
Prayer for Justice
He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8
Father today we come together and pray for justice
Our hearts are saddened and hurt for all those who have fallen victim to hatred and inhumanity
Our hearts break for those who have been incarcerated and for those who have been affected by crime and violence and for those neighbors and loved ones who are left behind to mourn
Our hearts lament the children who are being born into this world of conflict and violence
Pause and pray with others who have lost loved ones to violence and to those who have friends or relatives who are incarcerated
Repeat after me: Lord, hear our prayer
Father we admit that we are angry at the brokenness we see and experience around us
We declare that we are angry at the injustices our communities and our people face
Pause and turn your anger to God
Repeat after me: Lord, hear our prayer
Father today we pray for the lawyers, judges, police and parole officers
We pray that they would act justly and love mercy and walk humbly
We pray they would be peace-keepers, peace makers and extend grace
Give them wisdom to uphold the law
Give them strength to be patient
Give them courage to protect
Pause and pray for friends, relatives, church members who are lawyers, judges, police officers and parole officers
Repeat after me: Lord, hear our prayer
Father we pray for all members of the armed forces who are in danger this day, remembering family, friends and all who pray for their safe return;
God may you give peace and bring peace to our war torn world
Pause and pray for friends, relatives, church members who are in the armed forces
Repeat after me: Lord, hear our prayer
We pray for civilian women, children and men whose lives are disfigured by war or terror,
Father, bring peace where there is strife, bring reconciliation where there is hatred, bring forgiveness where there is retaliation
Pray for other countries around the world, perhaps your own home country that is in the midst of war
Repeat after me: Lord, hear our prayers
But Father in the midst of our unrest and in the midst of our anger, in the midst of the injustice we see and experience, we confess
We have not sought freedom for the oppressed, even
though you freed us.
We have not bound up the broken even though you
healed us.
Your Word says, “Blessed are the merciful”
But we have been harsh and impatient.
Your Word says, “Blessed are the peacemakers
But we have not sought reconciliation.
Repeat after me: Lord we confess our sin
And so Father we pray for a world where peace is built with justice, and where justice is guided by love
We pray for the redemption of souls of both victim and perpetrator, for those who commit themselves to the forgiveness of sins
And Father we thank you that your word teaches us and reminds us in Romans 3:25-26 that
“You presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. You did this to demonstrate Your righteousness, because in Your forbearance You had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— You did it to demonstrate Your righteousness at the present time, So as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus”
It was honor to lift this prayer with and for our city and wait in anticipation for how God will move and answer the prayers of His people for justice