- Hate cannot exist in a heart that loves God - June 3, 2020
- Prayers for peace and unity on Pentecost Sunday - May 31, 2020
- Peace is promised to a life viewed through the lens of faith - May 21, 2020
Urgent call to prayers for unity
Unprecedented times call for unprecedented unity in prayer, asking God to bring about unprecedented change.
“Lord, we need you! Please heal our land!” I know I’m not alone in my desperate plea for God to intervene and save our land and our people.
Emerging from isolation and the aftermath of a global health crisis, fear and uncertainty are already at the forefront of our minds. How on earth do we handle the outrage we feel over the senseless murder of George Floyd on Monday?
The Power of Prayer
There’s never been a more desperate need for unity in prayer than right now. Anger, hatred, and prejudice spur civil unrest and division across the land, leaving a path of death and destruction in its place.
As I watch what’s happening, I can’t help but wonder if this is what it looks like to “see all creation groaning as in the pains of childbirth.” (Romans 8:22)
Seeking to understand, I look up this verse in the original language. The word used in place of groaning is the Greek word, systenazo (συστενάζω) which mean to moan jointly, i.e. (figuratively) experience a common calamity:—groan together.
I’d say that’s a pretty accurate description, wouldn’t you? All of us, brothers and sisters, are groaning together over the calamities we see happening around us.
I read a little further and marvel over the way God speaks through His Word. The same root word is used again in verse 26; where Paul teaches us about the power of the Holy Spirit and how He strengthens us and prays for us when we don’t know what to pray:
“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” (Romans 8:26 NLT)
These passages are relevant and divinely timed. Today is Pentecost Sunday, which marks the day the Holy Spirit filled Christ’s followers after He ascended back to the Father. I’d say we could all use a fresh infusion of God’s Holy Spirit today, wouldn’t you? Below are three prayers from Bill Graham’s son, Franklin that we can pray together in faith that God will heal our land.
Prayers from Franklin Graham
We need to pray for PEACE, because “the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20).
Pray for PERSPECTIVE, because “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17).
Pray for PATIENCE, because of God’s “kindness and forbearance and patience” toward us all (Romans 2:4). And pray for an OUTPOURING of His wisdom and direction for our leaders and officials who are dealing with this crisis. Ask God to change hearts and heal this divide in our nation.
Sending peace, love, and prayers to all!
