CATCHING A GLIMPSE OF WHAT GOD SEES IN THE FUTURE
The pastor had switched the order of service so that the prayers of confession followed the sermon. The sermon tried to offer some choices for how Christians were able to respond to the horrible racism demonstrated in recent days in the community.
At the end of his sermon, the pastor looked at the people and said, “I invite you to join me in a prayer of confession of our sins of racism. I ask you to personally confess, not to make you feel more guilty, but to accept God’s transforming grace, which tells us that if we confess before God, we can learn from our past and be liberated for our future.
“I invite those who choose to confess your sins of benefiting from your own personal family economic position in an economic structure designed to restrict Black citizens from receiving similar investment possibilities.” He offered a time of silence and then continued.
“I invite those who choose to confess supporting an educational structure that benefits their family while conveying a message of inferiority to students of other economic backgrounds.” (Again, he paused for a time of silence.)
“I invite those who fail to protest living in a society that benefits themselves of the privileges that also discriminated against those of other ethnic situations.”( Again, a time of silence).
Finally, hear us confess to accepting without protest a society in which our prisons restrict the lives of 90 % more Blacks than Whites in our city. (Again, a time of silence.)
“I ask, Lord, that you hear those of us who, through confession, are saying that we trust you to receive our confession of sins and to touch us with your spirit that offers us a vision of the beauty of your diverse universe.
In the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who was willing to sacrifice everything, including his life, for the sake of your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
HOW WOULD YOUR CONGEGATION RESPOND TO SU CH A PRAYER EXPERIENCE?
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