Father,
It is the National Day of Prayer. Millions of us Americans will be crying out to you.
We should do this everyday, however. Forgive me for failing to consider that.
As you look upon us you must be pleased. We are no doubt a special people.
Your hand of mercy has been upon us for centuries now.
We don’t deserve it. We are not somehow more or less gifted than another people.
But we are exceptional in that by your mercy we have been useful for the common welfare of the world
In ways we could have never predicted or planned.
We have been exceedingly generous with our treasure and blood and industry.
We have been on the front lines of seeing the gospel of Jesus move around the world.
We have been a beacon of hope to millions of oppressed across the globe.
We are an exceptional people—all because of your mercy.
As you look upon us you must be pleased. We are no doubt a special people.
Your patience has covered us for generations.
We don’t deserve it. We are too often stubborn and self-centered.
But we are overcomers in that by your mercy we have been able to wade through
The terrible tensions we’ve brought on ourselves because of color or creed or code.
We still struggle, but we have made progress. We still wound, but we have learned of grace.
We have lived in the crucible of societal division and found ourselves stronger.
And as such we remain a beacon of hope to millions of oppressed across the globe.
We are an exceptional people—all because of your mercy.
But as you look upon us you must be grieved. We are no doubt a broken people.
Your hand of wrath deserves to be thrust forward.
We would deserve such. We are not somehow beyond the reach of your rod and staff.
Despite our nearly infinite blessings we still manage to make self our god.
We invade the wombs of mothers. We show disregard for our graybeards.
We run naked around the golden calves of power and position.
And as such we diminsh our ability to stand with moral nobility and clarity.
We are an exceptional people—exceptionally broken and in need of grace.
So as you look upon us please remain merciful. We are, as your Word declares, dust.
Pour out your mercy upon us, despite us, for us, in and through us.
We don’t deserve it, but we are so desperately in need of it.
Find us humbled, repentant, moved by your Spirit toward contrition.
Let it be that a movement of remorse and grief would move within our midst.
We could then embrace something better. Something more noble. Something beautiful.
We could then enter into a long season of grace and peace,
Wherein the dignity of the cross overcomes the indignity of the crowds,
And once again we rise and take our place as ambassadors for a better world.
Amen.