An Orphan Sunday Prayer

The Burleighs are a fellow AGCI family that we have gotten to know through Blog World.  They recently adopted a contagiously cute little boy from Ethiopia named Markos.  He joins their three daughters to fill this family of six.  His brown skin blends right in with the three blonde haired little girls!  You have to go to their blog and see their picture!  (Click here.)

They shared on their blog what they shared on Orphan Sunday as a prayer during the service.  I was touched as it was coming from the heart of a father who had just adopted and rescued a little one from a hopeless life in an orphanage, and a hopeless life apart from the Gospel.  I love to hear the heart of the dads that have been   forever changed by the miracle of adoption.  Because ultimately that is what all of life is about.  Changed hearts through the power of the gospel.  Whether it's the heart of a dad whose life can never be the same after seeing the empty eyes of orphaned children or the changed heart of the child who comes home to a forever family and a Forever Father.

Take a moment to prayerfully read through this.  It is powerful.

HEAVENLY FATHER…HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME…THANK YOU FOR LETTING US CALL YOU FATHER. APART FROM YOUR GRACE, OUR STATUS AS SPIRITUAL ORPHANS WOULD BE A ONE-WAY TICKET TO AN ETERNITY SEPARATED FROM YOU. WE ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT WE ONCE WERE AS ORPHANS, HOPELESS AND CONDEMNED. WE FIND AMAZING GRACE IN BEING YOUR ADOPTED CHILDREN.

I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD SLOW US DOWN AND CAUSE US TO SEE YOU EVERY DAY IN THE FACES WE ENCOUNTER. MAY THE LEAST OF THESE NOT GET THE LEAST OF US. I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD KEEP US FROM GETTING SO CAUGHT UP IN PROTECTING AND PRESERVING WHAT’S OURS AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS AND SADLY AT THE EXPENSE OF YOUR HOLY NAME. FORGIVE US FOR SELLING YOU SHORT OUT OF OUR FEAR OF MAN AND OUR LACK OF FAITH. WHERE WE HAVE BEEN STRANGERS TO YOUR HOLINESS IN HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES, SHOW US WHAT IT MEANS TO LOVE YOU WITH ALL THAT WE ARE AND EVEN CAUSE US TO DARE TO CONSIDER WHAT LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES MIGHT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE.

PLEASE CONVICT US OF OUR HANDLING OF YOUR CALL TO PRACTICE TRUE RELIGION: TO CARE FOR WIDOWS AND ORPHANS, SPIRITUAL & LITERAL, OUT OF A POSITION OF WEAKNESS. MAY WE EMBRACE THAT WEAKNESS AND GIVE OURSELVES COMPLETELY TO YOU IN THE MIDST OF IT, KNOWING THAT YOU ARE MADE MUCH OF WHEN WE MAKE LESS OF OURSELVES.

I PRAY YOUR HOLY SPIRIT WOULD RAIN DOWN ON COVENANT IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE WOULD JOYFULLY PURSUE SACRIFICIAL LIVING IN THE MIDST OF OWN STRUGGLES, NOT AFTER OUR OWN STRUGGLES ARE REMEDIED. MAKE US REAL, EXPOSE OUR FRAUDULENCE, BE HONORED BY THOSE WHO CONSIDER THE COST AND THEN JUMP IN ON FAITH ALONE.

I PRAY THAT YOUR HOLY SPIRIT WOULD STOP US COLD WHEN WE MARGINALIZE THE NEEDS OF OTHERS WHEN THEY INCONVENIENCE US. FATHER, FEARFULLY BUT EARNESTLY, HELP US SEEK TO BE INCONVENIENCED FOR THE REST OF OUR DAYS SO THAT IN ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING WILL ALLOW US TO TRULY BE SOMETHING FOR YOUR GLORY.

AS INDIVIDUALS & AS A CHURCH, I PRAY THAT OUR FAITH WOULD BE MARKED BY A WILLINGNESS TO GET OFF THE SIDELINES. THAT WE WOULD BE COMPELLED TO GET DIRTY & BEATEN UP & TESTED AS WE WADE DELIBERATELY INTO THE DESPAIR OF OTHERS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

MAY THIS FAITH MOVED TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING FOR YOUR GLORY BE AN ACT OF WORSHIP THAT WOULD ECHO THROUGH THE HALLS OF HEAVEN AND RATTLE THE GATES OF HELL.

THANKS FOR BEING OUR PERFECT FATHER,

AMEN