Prayer

One of my new friends and new favorite people is leaving town for a couple of months to head to the Middle East for work. I am sad about this reality, which is interesting to me for two reasons:

1. This individual is a relatively new friend; I’ve known him for several years, but we’ve only recently come to be acquainted.
2. I don’t typically feel anything, except when I watch The Wire, Friday Night Lights or Parenthood.

But this post isn’t about my sadness, it’s about something his wife said before one of his previous similar trips.

A couple of years ago, as the church anxiously gathered around him to pray for his safety, she said “Don’t worry, but pray.”

I thought that was a pleasant, helpful thought. I’m not much of a worrier, but I’m even less of a pray-er. I don’t really understand the power or purpose of prayer, but I like the idea of being a person who says “I’ll pray for you.” and mean it. And, I love the idea of seeing God at work as a result of my praying.*

Now, to make this post timely and relevant, let me suggest that we work to adopt that mentality after whatever happens Tuesday night.

If the “other guy” wins, don’t worry, but pray.

*It should be noted that the seeing God work is not a result of my praying. Rather, by intentionally praying, I will be more perceptive to what God is up to.

There’s some controversy surrounding why this prayer was omitted from the “We are One” broadcast, but I thought it was worthy of posting.
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWWAnitUCw4&e]

O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will…

Bless us with tears – tears for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women in many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.

Bless this nation with anger – anger at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Bless us with discomfort – at the easy, simplistic “answers” we’ve preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and our world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.

Bless us with patience – and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be “fixed” anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.

Bless us with humility – open to understanding that our own needs as a nation must always be balanced with those of the world.

Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance – replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences.

Bless us with compassion and generosity – remembering that every religion’s God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable.

And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States.

Give him wisdom beyond his years. Inspire him with Lincoln’s reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy’s ability to enlist our best efforts, and Dr. King’s dream of a nation for ALL people.

Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain in these times.

Give him stirring words. We will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.

Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.

Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.

Give him strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters’ childhoods.

And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we’re asking FAR too much of this one. We implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand – that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace.

AMEN.

Regardless of how we may feel about Obama’s presidency, I hope that we can echo this prayer.