Whatever the color of our skin, there is much to grieve and lament over right now. So many of us are hurting. So many of us feel powerless to help. Those of us who are not people of color want to stand with our brothers and sisters, but sometimes are unsure how to.
But all of us can pray. And all of us must pray.
So we’ve invited women of color to help all of us lift our eyes to the Lord of all and speak to him as our Father about the times we’re walking through. Each day for the next week or two, visit this blog and you’ll find a video, voice recording, or written prayer that will help you to pray into this situation.
We’re honored that serving us today is Danielle Anderson who lives in Atlanta, GA, and is a Bible teacher, speaker, and writer.
Because of the Lord’s faithful love, we do not perish. For His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! Lamentations 3:22-23
Thank you God that your word is true. Thank you that you are with us and that you speak to us. You are faithful - we will not perish, your mercies are new every morning. Lord, the circumstances around this scripture are fresh on my mind. Part of your display of faithfulness to your people Israel, was to keep your word around judgment, consequence. The people strayed from you, Jerusalem fell, and the people then cried out in lament.
Lord, please help us to do the same.
Help us individually lament the ways that we have ignored your word, not acted justly, not loved faithfulness, and not walked humbly with you our God (Micah 6:8). Lord, bring that which has been in darkness to light. Expose, so that we might move forward with healing. The doctor has to remove the infected tissue before healing can begin. We need you to expose and we need you to remove.
Expose and remove the ways we fail to listen,
the ways we ignore present realities,
the ways we are unwilling to learn,
the ways we dismiss the pain of others,
the ways we support unjust systems and disadvantage others,
the ways we are not an ally to our brothers and sisters of color,
the ways we live for our nation before the Kingdom of Heaven,
the way we love things more than people.
Give us the courage to confess our faults, because we know you are faithful and just to forgive them. Give us the courage to repent and to continue to walk the path of repentance. Help us to not go back to our old ways of thinking, speaking, and walking. Let our posture of confession and repentance be an encouragement to our neighbor, and may it spark a movement of lament in our families, churches and nation.
We confess that we may be afraid to lament - to passionately express our grief or sorrow. But we also admit our willingness to learn to do it. In lament we experience our Savior, who was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3). You invite us into these spaces of lament because you can handle our pain. You are with us, you will never leave nor forsake us, so we can trust that you are present in our pain. We can trust that you are faithful in our pain. We can trust that you will be faithful to heal our pain.
Because of the Lord’s faithful love, we do not perish. For His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! Amen.
Danielle Anderson is also a contributor to His Testimonies, My Heritage. Hear the voices of women of color on the most important subject in any age—the word of God.
Hear the voices of women of colour on the most important subject in any age—the word of God.
This inspiring collection of devotions is by a diverse group of women of color—African-American, Hispanic, Caribbean, and Asian women. Contributors include Kristie Anyabwile, Jackie Hill-Perry, Trillia Newbell, Elicia Horton, Christina Edmondson, Blair Linne, Bev Chao Berrus and more.
