Prayer for 4th of July

 

Please pray with me the words of the hymn: “This is my song”:

This is my song, O God of all the nations,

a song of peace for lands afar and mine.

This is my home, the country where my heart is;

here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;

But other hearts, in other lands are beating with hopes and dreams

as true and high as mine.

 

A few reasons why I find this song particularly powerful and poignant today, July 4^th.  First, we worship God who is the Creator of all places and people.  While we call the United States, “Our homeland,” we recognize that our citizenship is in God’s realm that does not have human borders or boundaries.  We worship God who crafts and creates all people, all places in God’s image.  We can honor our place and at the same time notice that God does not rate or rank countries.  On this 4^th of July, we are invited to hold the beautiful, creative tension. 

Second, we pray for peace.  We live in a divided country, state, and community.  We are more and more aware of how hostile we are and how hatred festers.  We pray for peace ~ a healing and wellness ~ for all human hearts.  We pray for peace with our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, in Oslo, in Akron, OH, in Uvalde, and Buffalo, in rain forests being destroyed and earth’s resources depleted.  Peace ~ wellness and wholeness ~ is what we seek and what will restore right relationship with God, each other, and the earth.  Peace is coming to our senses and turning/returning to God who is working to restore ruptured relationships that exist.

Even as we are connected to the holiness and wholeness of life, we live in a particular place and time.  Given the reality, we have hopes and dreams and seek God’s guidance for where we call “home”.  We recognize our solidarity with others.  We pray for those whose hopes and aims and dreams go in the opposite direction.  We pray for those who we fear or frustrate us. 

O, hear, our song and heartfelt, honest prayer, God of all people and places, on this day.  Let this song guide our lives and living every day this week. 

Amen.