Prayers for Reconciliation

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“Ever present God, you called us to be in relationship with one another and promised to dwell wherever two or three are gathered. In our community, we are many different people; we come from many different places, have many different cultures. Open our hearts that we may be bold in finding the riches of inclusion and the treasures of diversity among us. We pray in faith.”
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

It is good to protest injustice. We may not all be “social justice warriors“ that engage in demonstrations or peaceful protests with signs to advocate for justice, but there are other ways to do so. Prayer is a wonderful way to do just that.

I live in Saskatoon, SK Canada. We are known as the “City of Bridges”. (Video/ image below of “Saskatoon City of Bridges” shared with permission by Java Post). When I see bridges each and every day, I am reminded of how God sent His Son to be the bridge to reconcile us to Him through the power of the Spirit. He then also calls us to be the bridge to others.

In Luke 10:27, we can find the foundation for prayer when we lean into the call of the greatest commandment “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

I know in my life on my spiritual journey, if it wasn’t for prayer I don’t know where I would be. Not just ‘vent’, but to worship, intercede, to ask the tough questions to my Creator through prayer. We can stand in the gap through the power of the Holy Spirit. We have been given a God-given intuition to take these heart cries of rights and wrongs in this world for peace and justice. We can take these convictions and angst to the Lord and pray for justice, peace, and reconciliation.

I’ve also connected to the Be a ConnectR group in Saskatoon who too is fostering dialogue and action steps towards Indigenous Reconciliation. I shared with them recently my commitment to pray in their 40-day challenge. If you are at all curious about that, check them out on Facebook or visit their website. Plus- Below are some resources I am pouring through on prayer for justice and reconciliation!

Prayer for Reconciliation (Kairos)

Holy One, Creator of all that is, seen and unseen, of story and of song, of heartbeat and of tears of bodies, souls, voices and all relations: you are the God of all truth and the way of all reconciliation. Uphold with your love and compassion all who open their lives in the sacred sharing of their stories breathe in us the grace to trust in your loving forgiveness, that we may face our histories with courage; touch us through the holy gift of story that those who speak and those who listen may behold your own redeeming presence; guide us with holy wisdom to enter through the gates of remorse that our feet may walk gently and firmly on the way of justice and healing. Amen. ( KAIROS)

The Lord’s Prayer

As mentioned in Matthew 6:5-15 (With supporting scriptures)

Our Father who is in heaven: (Let’s start here, He is OUR Father,… ( Eph 4:6, 1 Cor 8:6, Rom 4:16 - One God & Father of us all).

Holy is Your Name:  (There is no other name by which we can be saved, give Him the glory and all the praise: (Isaiah 43:15, 1 Samuel 2:2, Rev 15:4 - He is Holy).

Forgive us of our sins: (Let’s clean the slate. (1 John 1:9, Numbers 14:17-18, Hebrews 10:10, Psalm 79:9)

As we forgive those who have sinned against us: (We’ve been forgiven, therefore, we must forgive. (Luke 6:37,  Colossians 3:13, Ephesians 4:31-32, Matthew 18: 21-35).

Lead us not into temptation:  The spirit is willing but our flesh is weak, none of us are immune.(Romans 8:37, Hebrews 4:15-16, Mark 14:38, 1 John 2:15-17).

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. ”
— Ephesians 4:31-32

Deliver us from evil:  He is able to deliver us. (2 Cor 10:1-5, Prov 16:6, Isaiah 6:7, Rev 12:11):   

Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven: (We are in agreement with what you want to accomplish, let it be so! James 1:5, Psalm 119:105, Jeremiah 29:11 - His plan, His will, His wisdom, let it come.)

Give us this day our daily bread: (He is Jehovah Jireh - the God who provides. Philippians 4:9, Psalm 81:10, 2 Corinthians 9:8-11)

Yours is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory! (Philippians 4:20, Romans 11:36, Colossians 3:17). *Spending some time thanking God for what He has done or is about to do in our midst!)

*(Thanks to Kelly and Lani Wiens for this study and focused scripture resources to support the Lord’s Prayer. Youtube and Website).

“For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

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— 2 Corinthians 5:19 

Other Prayer Resources

Prayers to Support the TRC Calls to Action &the UN Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Themes

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The following resource link is from CM&A in Canada. This learning and prayer guide has been developed to help raise awareness for the impact of residential schools on Aboriginal Peoples in Canada and to offer the opportunity for intentional prayer as you are guided through the TRC’s Calls to Action and additional relevant information and resources.

Reconciliation is a broad topic and it is also complex. When we lay our soul before God in prayer we are pressing into the right relation of allowing God to be God and for us to pray as Jesus asks us to pray for His Kingdom to come and for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. We can be counted as one who of many throughout the generations who are building and restoring.

“Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes. ”
— Isaiah 58:12