Here
is a prayer of lament in the wake of ongoing police violence in the United
States and around the world. It was written by Rev. Prince Rivers, senior
pastor of Union Baptist Church in Durham, Salem, and posted on the Transforming
Center website.
Prayer of Lament For Those who Cannot Breathe
Holy
God,
a
cloud of grief hangs heavy over my head
and
I feel like I cannot breathe,
so
give me the strength to pray.
I
raise my hands toward the sky
and
I lift my eyes to the hills which is where my help comes from.
Lord,
when the names of people who have been choked,
shot
and assaulted is too many to count
I
know that not one soul has been forgotten
by
mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, cousins and friends.
They
remember…
…laughs
and smiles,
…dreams
and struggles,
…talents
and personalities.
Now
these men and women are gone.
Father,
how long must we listen to the cries and screams
as
blood stains the sidewalk?
How
many videos must we watch before we begin to see a change?
Help
me, God. Help us.
Help
the people of St. Paul, MN.
Help
Baton Rouge, LA.
Help
our nation.
Help
us examine ourselves.
Help
those of us who are sad and angry not to let these deaths be in vain.
We
do not pray for vengeance,
but
we do thirst for justice.
We
hope for healing
between
neighbors and officers called to protect and serve.
We
long for the day when young men will live long enough to be old men
and
parents will not have to say ‘good-bye’ too soon.
My
hope is in you, God.
Deliver
me from all my fears.
O
God, come quickly to help us.
O
Lord, come quickly to save us.
In
the name of the one who came
that
we might have life and have life more abundantly. Amen.
~
written by Rev. Prince Rivers, senior pastor of Union Baptist Church in Durham,
Salem. Posted on the Transforming Center website. https://transformingcenter.org/2016/07/prayer-lament-breathe/
