Prayer for the Nation

During President Obama’s inauguration event, I was more interested in Pastor Rick Warren’s invocation of the 44th presidency.  Two weeks ago, Pastor Rick told us, Saddleback Church’s congregation, that he would be sued if he used the word “God” during the inauguration.  That was the most absurd and frivolous use of the American justice system I’ve ever heard!  Do you tell a doctor to stop using medical words?  Do you tell a lawyer not to use legal terms?

How could they expect a Christian pastor not to use the word God in his prayer?

It’s about the First Amendment of the Constitution, they said.  But that amendment was for the separation of government, away from being ruled by the Church of England.  It’s not relevant in this case.  Did they forget that Obama is a Christian?  It was his choice to have a traditional inauguration ceremony – in this case, a Christian one.  It was President Obama himself who invited Pastor Rick to pray.

Anyway, I’m so glad that Pastor Rick didn’t back down. I’m glad he asserted that we need God in this troubled times, for a wounded nation.  The prayer is not only reassuring, it’s inspiring!

Here’s the transcript of Pastor Rick’s prayer:

Let us pray.

Almighty God — our Father. Everything we see, and everything we can’t see, exists because of you alone. It all comes from you. It all belongs to you. It all exists for your glory. History is your story. The Scripture tells us, ‘Hear, Oh Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.’ And you are the compassionate and merciful one. And you are loving to everyone you have made.

Now today we rejoice not only in America’s peaceful transfer of power for the 44th time, we celebrate a hinge-point of history with the inauguration of our first African-American president of the United States. We are so grateful to live in this land, a land of unequaled possibility, where the son of an African immigrant can rise to the highest level of our leadership. And we know today that Dr. King, and a great cloud of witnesses, are shouting in heaven.

Give to our new president, Barack Obama, the wisdom to lead us with humility, the courage to lead us with integrity, the compassion to lead us with generosity. Bless and protect him, his family, Vice-President Biden, the cabinet, and every one of our freely elected leaders.

Help us, oh God, to remember that we are Americans, united not by race, or religion, or blood, but to our commitment to freedom, and justice for all.

When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you, forgive us. When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone, forgive us. When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us.

And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches, and civility in our attitudes — even when we differ.

Help us to share, to serve, and to seek the common good of all. May all people of good will today join together to work for a more just, a more healthy, and a more prosperous nation, and a peaceful planet. And may we never forget that one day, all nations and all people will stand accountable before you.

We now commit our new president, and his wife Michelle, and his daughters, Malia and Sasha, into your loving care.

I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life — Yeshua, Isa, Jesús, Jesus — who taught us to pray:

Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.

Amen.

Tags: inauguration, invocation, prayer, president of united states, Rick Warren