Prayers to Keep Us Struggling for
Children and the Poor

Adapted from prayers in Hold My Hand: Prayers for Building a
Movement to Leave No Child Behind by Marian Wright Edelman

Printed with permission

You Can’t Segregate God’s Creation

God’s family is big and inclusive and everybody belongs.

God is not a Catholic or Protestant, Methodist or Baptist – Southern, National,
American or Progressive.

God is not a Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Evangelical, Pentacostal,
Unitarian, Mormon, Greek or Russian Orthodox.

God is not a Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or B’ahai.

God is all these and far, far more.

God is not a Republican or Democrat, socialist or communist,
liberal or conservative, radical or moderate.

God is all these and far, far more.

God is not Black, Brown, Red, or Yellow but all these and all the blends in between.

God is not rich, middle-class, or poor; straight or gay; young, old, or middle-aged.

God is all these and far, far more.

God is not pretty, ugly, skinny, fat, short, tall, able-bodied or disabled.

God is all these and so much more.

God is no respecter of certain persons
but the Creator of all persons made in God’s image with their own DNA.

God is in all these things and in so much more.

Thank You, God, for Your presence and gifts everywhere in everyone in everything in life.

Help us to see You, to welcome You, to respect You, and to love You in all Your human disguises and gifts across the endless expanse of Your wondrous earth.

O God, Forgive and Transform Our Rich Nation

O God, forgive and transform our rich nation where small babies
die of cold quite legally

O God, forgive and transform our rich nation where small children
suffer from hunger quite legally.

O God, forgive and transform our rich nation where toddlers and
school children die from guns sold quite legally.

O God, forgive and transform our rich nation that lets children
be the poorest age group quite legally.

O God, forgive and transform our rich nation that lets the rich
continue to get more at the expense of the poor quite legally.

O God, forgive and transform our rich and powerful nation which thinks security
rests in missiles and bombs rather than in mothers and in babies.

O God, forgive and transform our rich nation for not giving You
sufficient thanks by giving to others their daily bread.

O God, help us never to confuse what is quite legal with
what is just and right in Your sight.

Help us to stand together and vote to make America
just and right and safe for all Your children.