My Dear Father in Heaven,

I thank you that You have loved me and have allowed me to live in this nation. Thank you that all my life I’ve been surrounded by the beauty of Your creation and granted the freedom to enjoy that land. You placed me in a loving family and given me caring church families who helped to show me who You are; I am thankful. You also gave me Grandmothers who loved You. They loved me and prayed for me daily. Again, I am so incredibly thankful and blessed.

Today is Independence Day. It is a day where we celebrate the gift of the freedom that You gave us.

Thank you for leading and guiding the founders of this nation – for their wisdom and foresight. Please bless what they created that it may not be destroyed by the less wise.

But Father, we have failed You.

As a nation.

As the church.

Forgive us for believing that we are always right in our analysis and view. Forgive us for being strident voices of anger instead of voices of welcome granting the desire to communicate. Help us to remember that within issues are people with very real struggles and at times, overwhelming pain. Teach us to offer a healing hand and words of grace.

Forgive us for choosing the sins by which we are offended.

Help us to remember that in living our lives, in dealing with those around us, we are to reflect You and Your fruit…

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Gentleness

Self-control

For against these, there is no law.

Remind us that we are to be light.

That we are to be salt.

Forgive us for our impatience, anger, self-righteousness, self-reliance, silence, for majoring on issues rather than people who need You. Please break our hearts with the things that break Yours… lost souls, every kind of sin, homelessness, hunger, injustice, abuse, and broken lives.

Teach us to love what You love.

Teach us to love the way that You love.

Teach us to love who You love.

Teach us simply to love.

And when we are CALLED to speak the truth in love, help us to do so in Your grace and power, not running ahead of You, but waiting patiently for Your leading, nudging, and message.

Humbly, I ask Father, that You would make us all You have called us to be.

Help us to remember that, although this land is great and we love being Americans, You have called us to be Your people – not Americans only. Remind us that You died to save us – not to give us the perfect nation. Help us to never forget that we are strangers here and that we should feel uncomfortable in this world.

Bring renewal and revival to each one of us individually and to all of us collectively, I pray.

Unite Your people that we are a force of renewal in the land.

Teach us to pray.

To intercede.

To seek You face.

To know You.

Father, please allow us the privilege and the responsibility of being Your hands and Your feet in this world.

I love You, Father.

Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer.

In You precious and holy name I pray.

Amen.