A Prayer

based on Church Dogmatics II.2

“Even the enemies of God are the servants of God and the servants of His Grace” ^[1]C.D. II.2 p92

Loving God, you have many enemies. Many of those enemies hate us too. Time and again those enemies have tried to deny you and tried to destroy your people. Pharaoh was not the first, and he certainly was not the last. Sisera and Haman were among those who followed him. Pilate condemned Jesus Christ to die, he conspired with the chief priests to expel you from the world you made. Saul would have carried the persecution of your people from Jerusalem to Damascus. But even among your own people, we have not been immune from turning from you and persecuting those who are you children. And now the human race has at its disposal technology capable of ruining the world in an instant or degrading it over decades.

And yet even those who hate you and persecute your people, those who deny you are the Creator and who would destroy what you have made, are your servants. “Your will be done,” we pray. It is pray most sure to be answered. Your will is done, ultimately, even by those who are resisting and rejecting you. You work your gracious will in and through our lives, and in and through the history we are part of. Shape our lives that we may serve your will, not as your enemies, but as your children and as your friends. We ask in the name of the one who faces your enemies, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.