MY TWELFTH OF JULY PRAYERS
11/07/2021
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Lord we hold that verse up across Northern Ireland this weekend
Lord we are aware of the tension on our streets
This is a weekend that can kick off the push and shove
As allegiances to our different ideologies
That can clash with impatience
And drive our thran hearts towards sectarianism and hatred
The traditions of one culture, fine in themselves
Can be waved viciously in the faces of others
And others can seek to find offence for their own agendas
We are addicts to our generations old sectarianism
Lord forgive us
And Lord as you are faithful and just to forgive us of our sins
Purify us from all unrighteousness
Replace our human ideologies with holy pragmatism
By your Spirit make us good neighbours
Encourage us to hold our own cultures with conviction
But gently
Inspire us to be Christlike humble towards neighbour
To be respectful
May your grace be alive within us.
Grace is a powerful attitude and posture
That will cause us to never parade or fly flags or light bonfires or put effigies on bonfires
That would offend our neighbours
May all of our leaders
Political
Policing
Community
Bands and lodges
Churches
Be stoked by your grace in all the decisions that needs to me made
In fragile, alienated and tense neighbourhoods
Lord may your grace never be used to feed our own arrogant self righteousness
But always to make us humble and respectful lovers of neighbour.
Lord If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Lord may it be so
Amen
I say Amen to this prayer. Also here in the Netherlands is prayed for today. The papers did published about the sensitivity this year is. Today I think of One. We have to carry each others.
Posted by: Jan Vierhout | 12/07/2021 at 04:46 PM