A Prayer for Bearers of God’s Divine Image

“Commitment” by Michael Speller

 

Dear Lord, God of heaven and earth, Creator of all things visible and invisible, in your mercy hear our prayers.

Our Father, we have taken the goodness of your creation and twisted it into something wicked and shameful. We have done this most grievously with the created goodness of your Divine plan, creating us in your image. Our sin has caused division between men and women, which in turn causes us to use and abuse one another, even those closest to us. We have turned away from our calling to live in light and purity and to celebrate the life-giving meaning of our bodies.

Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.

Lord God, we have treated one another as objects to own or use as we please—even to throw away when another’s utility to us is finished. Forgive us, Father, forever treating another person as an object. Help us to again see all people as bearers of your Divine Image, as brothers and sisters in life and as beautiful and unrepeatable sons and daughters of you, the King.

Lord, Jesus, you hallowed the created order by setting aside your divine glory and humbling yourself to become one of us, true God and true man. Only you can restore us to the life of purity intended in your creation. Only you can bridge our deep divides and bring us to treat one another with dignity, respect, and honor. Only through your eyes can we see one another purely and beautifully. We ask you to do this in each of us, Lord Jesus, that the world may see the full splendor of your glory and the goodness of your creation.

Holy Spirit, draw all people into the heart of God, that we may see our wickedness and foolishness for what it is and reject it. Grant us the wisdom and the power to stand against those godless designs intended to distort, twist, and destroy. Call together your church to stand united in opposition to these demonic deceptions that have taken our culture captive. Give us voices to share a counter-vision of love, the true vision that emanates from the heart of the Holy Trinity, the source of all goodness. Let this vision carry us forward and light across the land like a wildfire before a mighty wind.

To you be all honor, glory, and majesty for ever and ever. Let it be so. Amen!

Daniel Weiss is the founder and president of The Brushfires Foundation, a Christ-centered ministry that equips churches to share God’s beautiful plan for sexuality in a pornographic culture.

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