Prayers of the People - May 19

Tuesday Evening, May 19

Pause at the end of each day. Enjoy communion with the living God: Creator, Redeemer, Holy Spirit. Listen for the voice of God in the scriptures. 

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Read 

Psalm 39, “What is the measure of my days?”

Judges 13, The Angel of the Lord appears to the parents of Samson

Meditate 

The words of the Lord are spirit and life, a light to the wise path. Sit with your questions, write down your observations and tensions.

Pray 

Bring your meditations to this time of prayer and let them guide you, or use the prayer we’ve offered here: 

Lord we are weary today. We have remained utterly silent, not even saying anything good, but anguish overheats our hearts within us. Even while we meditate, fire burns. We are not built for these times, this news. 

Lord listen to us. Do not delay in your reply. We are waiting for revivals but to what end, we wonder still. Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be.

Lord we desire hope and joy today. We have looked to your radiance, we need shelter in the shadow of your wings. We need your Spirit to do the recovery work that empower our feeble efforts. Everyone is but a breath. Even those who seem secure. 

Hear our prayer, Lord. Listen to our cries for help. We dwell like foreigners, as were all our ancestors here. Lord, hear the prayers of your people.

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Contemplate

In silence 

In song: Blessed Assurance, performed by Dallas Fort Worth Mass Choir

In wisdom from Black History:

Lorraine Hansberry, playwright, would be 90 today:

“And I wrote to The Times and said, you know, ‘Can’t you understand that this is the perspective from which we are now speaking? It isn’t as if we got up today and said, you know, ‘what can we do to irritate America?’ you know. It’s because that since 1619, Negroes have tried every method of communication, of transformation of their situation from petition to the vote, everything. We’ve tried it all. There isn’t anything that hasn’t been exhausted.”

el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, known as Malcolm X, would be 95 today:

"Everybody's wondering why I've been going back and forth to Africa. Well, first I went to Mecca to get closer to the orthodox religion of Islam. I wanted firsthand views of the African leaders -- their problems are inseparable from ours. The cords of bigotry and prejudice here can be cut with the same blade. We have to keep that blade sharp and share it with one another... I realized racism isn't just a Black and white problem. It's brought bloodbaths to about every nation on earth at one time or another."

Seek God’s face

“My heart said - seek God’s face. Lord, your face will I seek” Psalm 27.8

“One day, may we all meet together in the light of understanding.” el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz

Lord, hear the prayers of your people. Amen

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Learn more about the Black History we celebrate on May 19th

Lorraine Hansberry is the central figure in a PBS Documentary “Sighted Eyes, Feeling heart” and Imani Perry’s book Looking for Lorraine. A New York Times profile highlights them both.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/12/arts/television/lorraine-hansberry-sighted-eyes-feeling-heart.html

May 19th is known as Malcolm X Day for many. Read more about Malik el-Shabazz in this interview with legendary Gordon Parks

https://www.africaresource.com/djelia/oral-history/265-a-conversation-between-gordon-parks-and-malcolm-x

Artwork: Self portrait on newsprint, Lorraine Hansberry // Portraiture from photographs of Malcolm X and Lorraine Hansberry

Michelle Higgins