An Activist’s Prayer

Image by DeMarcus Boone

Meditation

Oh Lord, you’ve blessed me with a vision to see the hurt and harm that racism causes. I see how whiteness shows up. I call it out, only to be met by folks who have been blinded by privilege, deeply rooted in their refusal to see. Oh the willfully ignorant, Lord. What shall we do with them?

Why do you allow me to see the harm but leave me without the tools to fix all of it. To end it all, Lord. Overwhelmed with sorrow, Lord, I see the pain, the suffering, the daily torment of so many. Generational trauma, Lord. It is a heavy burden to bear. Is it possible to care too much? To be labeled as radical and ridiculed as angry, Lord. But how could I not be both? Would it not be a waste of the gifts you’ve given me? Why is this so wrong?

It takes a lot to exist here, Lord.

It takes a lot to exist here knowing that racism is systemic and endemic. How long, Lord, must our Black bodies suffer at the hands of white oppressors? How long, oh Lord, must our babies, beautifully cloaked in the Black skin that you gave them, fight to exist in their own human dignity? Our tears fill a bottomless well, Lord. Why are they not as valuable as the weeping of a white woman? Hear our cries, Lord.

Our people are tired, Lord, but we are still fighting. The spirits of our ancestors carry us each day. Thank you, Lord, for the throughline. We keep moving and protesting for the Breonna Taylors, the Ahmaud Arberys, the George Floyds, the Tamir Rices, the Trayvons, the Rekias, and unfortunately, the next ones.

White supremacy is exhausting, Lord. It’s an all consuming fire, burning paths of lingering pain. It’s literally cutting our lives shorter—all of our lives are shorter. But white folks don’t care, Lord. They would rather go without if they knew there was a benefit to Black folks. It’s a shame, Lord. We want to be tethered to tenderness, not tethered to whiteness. Release us all, Lord, into your abounding grace and mercy. Pull us together to work, to live, to love in peace and in worship of your goodness.

Multiply the voices of the disruptive peacemakers. Lord multiply those who question, who resist, who push back. Multiply the vision of those who see whiteness for what is. Spread your favor as vast as the ocean and as deep as the sea. Bring together the like-minded so that their efforts will magnify, giving you the glory! Protect those who make visible the invisible from their enemies. Don’t let the voices of change be unfairly judged. Silence the lying lips of the oppressors, right their wrongs, give reparations to those who are descendents of the enslaved. Make a community of harmony a reality. Remind us who you are, Lord. Remind us who we are, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. What resonated most with you from this meditation?

2. What connections can you make to what is happening in our world today?

3. If you could use a gift or talent that God has given you to highlight an injustice in this world, what would you highlight? Have you already been highlighting injustices? If yes, how?

Call to Action:

What organizations in your community promote racial justice work? Make a commitment to find them and ask how you can be supportive.

About the Author

Dr. Ronda Taylor Bullock (she/her/hers) is the co-founder and Lead Curator at we are, which stands for working to extend anti-racist education.

Stay connected to Ronda:

IG: @disruptivpeace

FB: Ronda Taylor Bullock

Website: www.weare-nc.org

These Black Lent devotionals were originally curated by IG: goodneighbormovement.

Scripture: Psalm 31:9-16 (CEB)

“May the vision and voices of those who call out and disrupt white supremacy be amplified.” - Dr. Ronda Taylor Bullock

Song: Black Girl Pain by Talib Kweli and Jean Grae