To be honest, many American holidays have become nothing more than political parties picking fights over the holidays. Sorry, but MLK Jr. Day is no different. It’s easy to ignore all the animosity the holidays bring and try to break off the relationship, but as Christians, we’re not called to stick our heads in the sand. There is a reason why our God is a lion and not an ostrich. Our mission, therefore, is to imitate God’s courage by approaching cultural issues with truth and love.
Unfortunately, not everyone in my family appreciates God-given equality. I’m from central Georgia and come from a family with deep Southern roots. Its roots go back to the history of men who believed it was their right to own other men. But like all roots of destruction, these roots are eroding from below.
The sad short truth is that I have a racist family that knows nothing about strangers other than their uncontrollable skin pigment and is quick to label them as less than human beings, as if they aren’t human beings with red blood and eternal souls. This cruel way of thinking reflected how they viewed every other aspect of the world, and ultimately I had to sever ties with them.
reality of sin
Yes, of course we all have some degree of bias. We often believe that our way of thinking and the way we were brought up is correct. Because that’s all we know. Naturally, anything that is different will be classified as incorrect. I’m not saying we’re better than family members we no longer talk to, but rather God is calling us to surrender our sinful, blind, and ignorant hearts to Him instead of living too narrowly. Then we can soften the bonds of our preconceptions and soften the enemy’s desire to trip us up and prevent us from loving others properly.
When we discover a particular sin deeply rooted in our hearts, it is an immediate invitation from God to pursue His freedom and step into a new way of thinking and seeing the world. It is an opportunity to be transformed into the image of Christ.
Therefore, as we pray for our nation on MLK Jr. Day, we must begin with our own hearts. After all, our country is built on families and their personal values. So, as you prepare to honor the strides MLK Jr. has made to ensure equality for all Americans, regardless of race, please consider these four prayers:
1. Prayer to dissolve personal pride
Father, in a culture in desperate need of identity, it is easy for us to look to man-made systems to define our worth. We look at relationships, finances, possessions, and even politics. But, Father, as eternal beings, help us realize that who we are and who we are to become cannot depend on anything finite. Therefore, you are our lifeline, our purpose, our reason, our destiny.
On MLK Junior Day, please allow us to set aside our pride and political biases and celebrate the beautiful truth that in our God-given differences, we are in the midst of your rich creativity. You are not a boring god, satisfied with the monotony of everyday life. Don’t let our pride lead us to believe something different.
May we never see ourselves as anything other than a human being made in your image, regardless of skin color, social class, or personal success. May it be all the value we need. May that truth soothe our souls and allow us to humbly accept that we are all equal and have access to Your throne through Christ Jesus, Your Son.
We praise Your Almighty and Creative Name, Father. Amen.
2. Prayer in response to conviction
Father, it is no secret that each of us struggles with prejudice. When our perspective is limited, we tend to believe that our way of thinking and doing things is correct. Bless us with the conviction of your Holy Spirit. Please reveal where we need to change our minds. When You reveal the truth to us, give us the boldness to respond humbly and obediently.
Give us the courage to face the parts of us that need to fall away, and the strength to step away from them and walk toward your goodness and light. Grant us the God-given desire to pursue freedom, even if it means sacrificing our comfort, sacrificing our relationships, and sacrificing everything we thought we were.
In a world that likes to excuse sinful behavior because of an identity crisis, may we know in our souls that our identity lies in You, and with such a gift comes a sense of gratitude that invites us to listen to your voice and respond to your beliefs with desperate surrender.
Lord, we praise your brave and mighty name. Amen.
Photo credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/PeopleImages
3. Prayer to stop political division
Jesus, when you came to Earth, you chose to enter into a period of history corrupted by political manipulation. Rome was brutal, even brutal, in its rule over its people. Still, your mission wasn’t to overturn the military or tyranny. Your mission was to radically save and transform the hearts and souls of sinners. And through this miraculous gift, you promised us that you would bring beauty to our pain and peace to our chaos. And ultimately, we guarantee that your kingdom is the only kingdom to rule. There will never be tyranny or deceit, only rest and freedom for your children forever.
On MLK Jr. Day, let us pause our divisions as both sides of the political aisle weaponize a holiday meant to celebrate God-given equality. Please give us the wisdom to disconnect from social media, news stations, and other political platforms that only allow us to condemn and hate. Remember that hating others will never give us any sense of worth or fulfillment. Rather, it will spread the false message that some of us are better than others, as if we are not all in dire need of the grace and mercy of the cross.
Political noise is exhausting, but the kind of love that casts aside hatred is what revives us. May we follow your heart and find that no matter what we look like, your love binds the wounds of all of us together.
We praise Your loving and merciful name, Jesus. Amen.
4. Prayer to love one another
Lord, if loving others is easy, help us to realize that it is not a command. You don’t have to charge us these great high prices. It would just be natural. However, our natural state is rooted in selfishness, aimed at personal improvement, and easily uses fear to prevent us from doing the right thing. God, please don’t allow us to settle for such a shallow way of life.
Your mere lukewarm devotion to the Golden Rule makes us too uncomfortable. Please understand us so thoroughly that no matter where we come from, we have no choice but to surrender completely to the truth that You are the God of all and create a spiritually level playing field.
In this truth, may we consider how our words and actions affect others and humbly put others before ourselves. May we see each other as mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, friends and colleagues. May we see each other as people with traumas, fears, pasts, and a deep need to be known, loved, and safe. May we see each other as beating hearts and souls that will live forever.
Father, let us take refuge in your example of love. We have no excuse but to follow in the footsteps of Your all-loving, perfect sacrifice.
We praise your devoted and selfless name, God. Amen.
The mission behind the celebration
Certain holidays are not just celebrations, but also calls to celebrate even more. This MLK Junior Day, regardless of your political affiliations or personal views, open your heart to God’s Word, ask God to reveal to you how you can better love your neighbor and humbly embrace equality for all nations and all skin colors, all year round.
Photo credit: ©Wikimedia Commons
Peyton Garland is a writer, editor, and mom of a boy who lives in the beautiful foothills of East Tennessee. For more encouragement, subscribe to her blog Uncured+OK.
