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Joe Wright's Prayer
Jon and I have mentioned on occasion that our friendship dates back to our days
in Kansas, in the 1970's. He preached in Topeka, and I preached in Mulvane (near
Wichita). The Kansas State Legislature recently opened its' '96 session, and a
man named Joe Wright led the following prayer, now well circulated throughout
the country.
"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek
Your direction and guidance.
We know Your word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly
what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our
values.
We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your word in the name of
moral pluralism.
We have worshipped other gods and called it 'multiculturalism.'
We have endorsed perversion and called it 'an alternative lifestyle.'
We have exploited the poor and called it 'a lottery.'
We have neglected the needy and called it 'self preservation.'
We have rewarded laziness and called it 'welfare.'
In the name of 'choice', we killed our unborn.
In the name of the 'right to life,' we have killed abortionists.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it 'building self
esteem.'
We have abused power and called it 'political savvy.'
We coveted our neighbors' possessions and called it 'taxes.'
We've polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it 'freedom of
expression.'
We've ridiculed the time honored values of our forefathers and called it 'enlightment.'
Search us, oh God, and know our hearts today. Try us, and show us any wickedness
in us.
Cleanse us from every sin, and set us free.
Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of
Kansas and who have been ordained by you to govern this great state.
Grant them Your wisdom to rule, and may their decisions direct us to the center
of Your will.
I ask it in the name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ.
"Amen."
By Warren E. Berkley
The Front Page
From Expository Files 3.5; May 1996
