In July former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice delivered a stirring prayer that addressed the racially-charged atmosphere sweeping the nation. I stumbled across it this week–thankfully. Here are five beautiful things I heard in Condoleezza Rice’s prayer (click to read and view the full prayer).
- Our need for God — Heavenly Father, we come to You with heavy hearts…confused minds…sinking spirits. But we come to you, too, knowing that we can always count on You…
- Respect — We ask you to protect…those who protect us and protect our rights — who protect us on the front lines of freedom…
- Repentance — We acknowledge as the American people our dark past, our history of oppression coming from our birth defect of slavery, of prejudice…that it shadows our relationships with one another and sows division. But dear Heavenly Father, that is not the future we want for our country…so we turn to You. We know that there are no easy answers, but the answers will come through You…
- Intercession — As a nation and as a people we need to race again toward you, into the embrace of your loving arms. Dear Heavenly Father, we pray for guidance, we pray for wisdom for our leaders…
- Consecration — Every one of us will leave this place justified by faith and secure and confident in your deep, deep love for us. And that from that confidence and security of our relationship with You, we will go out into the world as instruments of your peace, as instruments of the reconciliation that you seek from us, and as instruments of your love…
I pray as a leader I walk in this much grace, wisdom, and sincerity. What do you hear?
Brave Sparrow 