A Prayer for Juneteenth

Lord,
We celebrate on this day of freedom
that You hear the cries of the oppressed,
that You are truly the God who sets
the captives free.

We thank You for those who took up
the fight for liberation, and we pray for
the courage to do the same.

Lord, as today is a day of celebrating progress,
it is also a day of mourning.

We mourn the mistakes of our nation’s past.
We mourn when the dividing lines of race
cause us not to treat our neighbors as ourselves.

We pray for justice in our neighborhoods
and in our country, that Your freedom
would be known by all.

Remind us that You are the God of all people -
every nation, every tribe, and every tongue.
Give us hope for the day
You unite all people before Your throne.

In Jesus’ name, amen.