By Joshua Speight
“We don’t want them here.”
God forgive us. For these awful words are not what the world needs to hear from the most powerful voice when they are running from danger seeking hope, seeking safety, seeking sanctuary.
God embolden us. May these words move us to act as faithful followers of Christ who “shall also love the stranger, for we were once strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Deut. 10)
God free us. May we free ourselves from the bondage of hopelessness and fear so that we may love with the radical love of Christ for the whole world – especially for our refugee brothers and sisters who are being told they are not welcome in our country today.
God help us to proclaim loudly and boldly that we, your Church, want the stranger, the immigrant, the persecuted, the hurting, war-torn, the terrorized, the Beloved Community here with us.
Joshua Speight serves as the Missional Congregations Resources Manager for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
Josh, a beautiful prayer, eloquently written. Thank you so much! I needed to read and pray these words. Ka’thy
Thanks for a great prayer.
Such meaningful words. May it be so.
I borrowed some of your words to incorporate into our Prayers of the People in worship at Broadway in FW, TX this morning. Thank you.