On Monday (January 18th), our nation recognizes the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A life spent well in abiding love of Jesus through which fruit that perseveres was bore. And yet, his was a life taken too quickly by hate and fear. As we reflect on how Dr. King’s life with Jesus calls us as persons and as a nation to live together, let us pray these humbling words of Dr. King. Together, let us repent with sure anticipation our Father’s response.
O thou Eternal God, out of whose absolute power and infinite intelligence the whole universe has come into being. We humbly confess that we have not loved thee with our hearts, souls and minds and we have not loved our neighbors as Christ loved us. We have all too often lived by our own selfish impulses rather than by the life of sacrificial love as revealed by Christ. We often give in order to receive, we love our friends and hate our enemies, we go the first mile but dare not travel the second, we forgive but dare not forget.
And so as we look within ourselves we are confronted with the appalling fact that the history of our lives is the history of an eternal revolt against thee.
But thou, O God, have mercy upon us.
Forgive us for what we could have been but failed to be. Give us the intelligence to know thy will. Give us the courage to do thy will. Give us the devotion to love thy will. In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray.
Amen.