Race

I recall a conversation with a friend from my Calvin Seminary days. He was a Calvin College student. I went over the college since I was one of two African Americans at the seminary in the late 1980’s. My friend was a biracial child, who along with his sister adopted into a wonderful white Christian Reformed family in Grand Rapids. He shared with me the struggles his parents encountered when they wanted to baptize both children into the faith at their church.

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22

Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. - Psalm 54:2

We bring our prayers to Creator God, who both "takes up our pain and bears our suffering" and will "let justice roll down like a river."

Protests Continue in Hong Kong

“Will you give me a drink?” asked Jesus of the Samaritan woman. This story found in John 4:7-26 illustrates Jesus’ deep love for all women even those rejected by mainstream society. In this story, a Samaritan woman is at the well with Jesus, about to draw water for herself. Jesus asks her to get him a drink. Shocked at his request because Samaritans  and Jews didn’t mix, a conversation ensues.

Synod 1968 established Sunday, July 14, as a day of prayer for racial reconciliation. This year, July 14 once again falls on a Sunday.

We call on members of the Christian Reformed Church to dedicate this day of prayer for a renewal of society through racial reconciliation, and to labor unceasingly to cause the light of the gospel of Christ’s love and peace of to shine upon all. (Acts and Agenda of Synod, 1968, page 18)

Prayer

God of every nation, tribe, and tongue,

The divisions in North American politics are sharp and create upheaval over what exactly it means to be Christian.

There is racial unrest so deep, it threatens to undo the ministry of reconciliation to which the church is called.

Reformed theology is used to justify white supremacy and isolationism.

When I started attending a Christian Reformed church in 1973, my only interest in the church was it had a basketball court inside the building. Over time, I found the pastors were gracious and kind. The interracial congregation felt its mission was that all African American lives would flourish on the west side of Chicago.

Lord, in this Holy Week as we walk with your Son to the cross and wait for resurrection, hear our prayers!