A Prayer For Racial Justice
Over the last several months, an outpouring of centuries of pain and frustration has been seen in a groundswell of protest against racism in the US and globally.
As a Christian organization that works to combat injustice in all its forms, we pray to see God’s people everywhere be bold, loving, and faithful as they speak the truth about racial injustice. We do this as an act of reverence and love for Jesus, in whom we place our hope for the redemption of sin, freedom for captives, and the restoration of all creation.
The following prayer has been adapted from a prayer session at the 2020 Tearfund Staff Conference. You can pray this individually, with your family, or at your church.
God of Justice. Open the eyes of those who wield power to the destructiveness of racism. Let justice roll like a river and move us to repentance and transformation. Convict the hearts of leaders in government, businesses, charities and the church, towards your kingdom values. May righteousness flow like a mighty stream.
God of Justice, hear our prayer.
Christ who lived under occupation. Help us identify and change the systems and power structures in our countries that perpetuate racial inequality. Teach us to transform into societies that uphold the dignity of each person, made in your image. Where we need to be stirred, wake us up to take our part in praying, speaking up and taking action.
Christ who lived under occupation, hear our prayer.
Spirit of God, our breath in this World. Let this moment in history bring about everlasting change to violence and discrimination based on the color of someones skin. Breathe newness into our lands, our systems, our structures, our ways of living with one another.
Spirit of God, our breath in this world, hear our prayer.
God of Restored Relationships, to whom we all belong. Bring healing to all those that are suffering and have endured the pain caused by racial injustice. Restore broken relationships, bring peace; your peace and wholeness to all people in all places.
God of Restored Relationships, to whom we all belong, hear our prayer.