Thursday was the National Day of Prayer. For all who attended, the event on the Bulloch County Courthouse lawn was a meaningful and spiritual service. Various Christian denominations participated in the event.
At one point, individuals came up to offer prayers for the various segments of our society. They prayed for our nation, our state, our leaders, our economy, our city, our county, our police, fire and EMS, our schools, our university, our churches and our military. There were also prayers offered up for those in agriculture, our local families and they even asked employees to pray for the employers they serve.
What I found interesting (certainly because of my personal beliefs) was that there were so many prayers of thanks for our many government agencies, but not very many for the common man.
Please don’t misunderstand — these were all fine prayers. I mean, who the heck am I to judge one prayer from another anyway?
But I wanted to take the opportunity to say something for all the downtrodden, forgotten and underrepresented segments of our community that didn’t get a mention. So I humbly offer my own suggestions. Consider it a request for prayer, if you will.
Pray for the teenagers who are plummeting toward adulthood without proper knowledge of how to control their raging emotions.
Pray for the immigrants who work hard and stay out of trouble, who simply came to this country to make a better living for themselves and their families like so many of our ancestors did before us.
Pray for the ignorant of all races that only seem to see color when deciding the worthiness of a person.
Pray for those who hold on to grudges from the past, that they may find forgiveness in their heart.
Pray for those who continue to feel superior over their fellow man, that they may find personal humility and value in everyone.
Pray for the single mothers whose boyfriends promised them the world then left them out in the cold.
Pray for the single fathers whose girlfriends tricked them into fatherhood before they were ready, able or mature enough to handle the situation.
Pray for the divorced mothers, that the father of her children willfully participates in raising their kids.
Pray for the divorced fathers who love their kids but are sometimes put behind the eight-ball by the machinations of the state.
Pray for the alcoholics and drug addicts who are looking for answers in the bottom of the bottle, at the end of a pipe or in a pile of pills.
Pray for the entrepreneurs who daily risk their financial well-being to create jobs, which help house, clothe and feed over 50 million employees and their families.
Pray for the columnists and bloggers who share their opinions on a regular basis, that they may be fair to others, truthful with their words and honest with themselves.
Pray for those who cheat, not so they will feel sorry for their actions, but so that they are forgiven by those who were cheated upon.
Pray for the Iraqi people that are suffering through war and devastation, not only from a foreign military but from the angry and violent within their own community.
Pray for all the injured in Iraq — military or civilian — who have suffered debilitating injuries. May they overcome their physical challenges to lead fulfilling and productive lives.
Pray for those of any religion who believe that theirs is the one and only true way. May their eyes be opened to the joy, peace and hope in the cultures of others.
Pray for those who wield authority in its many forms, that they may use their power wisely not only to benefit those who are in their care but that they will use restraint when one of their charges does something they should not be doing.
Pray for those in the employ of government or security, that they have the integrity to prosecute one of their own should they step outside the bounds of the law.
Pray for those with hidden talents, that they have the courage to share those talents with the rest of us so we can see the beauty lying beneath.
Pray for the tireless volunteers who give countless hours to support charities and causes dear to their hearts. May we appreciate the work they do.
Pray for the gossips that they may refrain from cheap and petty talk.
Pray for the insecure that they may find courage.
Pray for the lonely that they may find companionship.
Pray for the lost that they may find their way.
Pray for those who have no faith in themselves. Pray they will see that every one of us has a gift to be shared and that they are able to look inside themselves and discover what that gift is.
Pray we all see the potential in all things and in all people. After all, if God is infallible, he made each of us for a reason. Let us hope we can all discover that reason — in others and in ourselves.
At one point, individuals came up to offer prayers for the various segments of our society. They prayed for our nation, our state, our leaders, our economy, our city, our county, our police, fire and EMS, our schools, our university, our churches and our military. There were also prayers offered up for those in agriculture, our local families and they even asked employees to pray for the employers they serve.
What I found interesting (certainly because of my personal beliefs) was that there were so many prayers of thanks for our many government agencies, but not very many for the common man.
Please don’t misunderstand — these were all fine prayers. I mean, who the heck am I to judge one prayer from another anyway?
But I wanted to take the opportunity to say something for all the downtrodden, forgotten and underrepresented segments of our community that didn’t get a mention. So I humbly offer my own suggestions. Consider it a request for prayer, if you will.
Pray for the teenagers who are plummeting toward adulthood without proper knowledge of how to control their raging emotions.
Pray for the immigrants who work hard and stay out of trouble, who simply came to this country to make a better living for themselves and their families like so many of our ancestors did before us.
Pray for the ignorant of all races that only seem to see color when deciding the worthiness of a person.
Pray for those who hold on to grudges from the past, that they may find forgiveness in their heart.
Pray for those who continue to feel superior over their fellow man, that they may find personal humility and value in everyone.
Pray for the single mothers whose boyfriends promised them the world then left them out in the cold.
Pray for the single fathers whose girlfriends tricked them into fatherhood before they were ready, able or mature enough to handle the situation.
Pray for the divorced mothers, that the father of her children willfully participates in raising their kids.
Pray for the divorced fathers who love their kids but are sometimes put behind the eight-ball by the machinations of the state.
Pray for the alcoholics and drug addicts who are looking for answers in the bottom of the bottle, at the end of a pipe or in a pile of pills.
Pray for the entrepreneurs who daily risk their financial well-being to create jobs, which help house, clothe and feed over 50 million employees and their families.
Pray for the columnists and bloggers who share their opinions on a regular basis, that they may be fair to others, truthful with their words and honest with themselves.
Pray for those who cheat, not so they will feel sorry for their actions, but so that they are forgiven by those who were cheated upon.
Pray for the Iraqi people that are suffering through war and devastation, not only from a foreign military but from the angry and violent within their own community.
Pray for all the injured in Iraq — military or civilian — who have suffered debilitating injuries. May they overcome their physical challenges to lead fulfilling and productive lives.
Pray for those of any religion who believe that theirs is the one and only true way. May their eyes be opened to the joy, peace and hope in the cultures of others.
Pray for those who wield authority in its many forms, that they may use their power wisely not only to benefit those who are in their care but that they will use restraint when one of their charges does something they should not be doing.
Pray for those in the employ of government or security, that they have the integrity to prosecute one of their own should they step outside the bounds of the law.
Pray for those with hidden talents, that they have the courage to share those talents with the rest of us so we can see the beauty lying beneath.
Pray for the tireless volunteers who give countless hours to support charities and causes dear to their hearts. May we appreciate the work they do.
Pray for the gossips that they may refrain from cheap and petty talk.
Pray for the insecure that they may find courage.
Pray for the lonely that they may find companionship.
Pray for the lost that they may find their way.
Pray for those who have no faith in themselves. Pray they will see that every one of us has a gift to be shared and that they are able to look inside themselves and discover what that gift is.
Pray we all see the potential in all things and in all people. After all, if God is infallible, he made each of us for a reason. Let us hope we can all discover that reason — in others and in ourselves.