God of the broken, physician to the sick, redeemer of the destitute:
Give us courage to show up to our right now life.
Would you calm the vitriol and fear and pride which so easily draws us in, and give us wisdom to care for our soul?
Lord, would you help us to remember to love our neighbors well?
Would you help us to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly?
Oh that we would seek to understand those who are different than us.
May we choose each other’s humanity over rightness.
Healer, please cause us to look into eyes instead of screens; into hearts instead of ideologies.
Lord, would you replace our self righteousness with curiosity, our fury with steadfastness?
May we choose mercy over judgement.
May we choose kindness over shame.
May we listen to each other’s stories and find hope in our common journey and insight in our differences.
May we know the limits of our own hearts and know when to step back–realizing it’s better to withhold our opinion if it means saving a spirit.
Jesus, may we experience you as our shield in the midst of arrows of condemnation that wish to knock us down.
May we be reminded of how desperately we need you; that we would forgive others as we ourselves have been forgiven.
May we love as you love, in order to create a road forward.
May we, in the midst of turmoil, cling to the Rock that is higher.
Oh God, we pray, meet us here.
