Human Trafficking- Angry Enough to Pray?
The human trafficking issues surrounding the super bowl this coming weekend provoke all kinds of emotions: extreme anger at these evil deeds; a deep desire to protect and help when we hear of a young child being exploited and taken advantage of; and helpless to do anything about it. Are we really helpless?
The human trafficking issues surrounding the super bowl this coming weekend provoke all kinds of emotions: extreme anger at these evil deeds; a deep desire to protect and help when we hear of a young child being exploited and taken advantage of; and helpless to do anything about it. Are we really helpless?
Dr. Barry Jones assembled for his church and the Love146 effort a week of prayer pages to encourage and inform others as to how to pray for this critical issue of human slavery happening right here in our metroplex. With permission, I post his Friday page here. There is something we can do – join together in prayer immeditately to petition our powerful God on behalf of the helpless. Will you?
Psalm 10:12-18
12 Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.
13 Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
He won’t call me to account?
14 But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
You are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked man;
call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
that would not otherwise be found out.
16 The LORD is King for ever and ever;
the nations will perish from his land.
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that mere earthly mortals
will never again strike terror.
Today is a day of prayer for those who enslave and who exploit others for their own profits. Pray that they would be brought to justice. Pray that their efforts to abuse and manipulate for their own gain would be thwarted by circumstances, by concerned citizens, or by law enforcement. Pray that God would cause them to recognize the wickedness of their actions and to turn from them. Pray for the grace of God to transform the hearts even of those who have been guilty of such wretched sins, just as he did for the slave trader John Newton (author of the hymn “Amazing Grace”).
God of all peoples, awaken our hearts and deepen our commitment to work for a world where every person is free and able to live their lives fully and joyfully. We ask for conversion of heart for traffickers and for strong laws that protect victims. Help us grow in our awareness that we are all connected. Give us wisdom, inspiration, and courage to stand in solidarity, so that together we will find ways to the freedom that is your gift to all your people. Amen
[A prayer taken from the Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center, www.ipjc.org]
Gail Seidel
Gail Seidel served as Mentor Advisor for Spiritual Formation in the Department of Spiritual Formation and Leadership at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) and as an Adjunct Professor in the D Min in Spiritual Formation in the D Min Department at Dallas Theological Seminary. She has a BA in English from the University of Texas, a Masters in Christian Education from Dallas Seminary and a D Min in Spiritual Formation from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She is a contributor to the textbook, Foundations of Spiritual Formation, Kregel Academic. She served as co-director for Christian Women in Partnership Russia with Entrust, an international church leadership-training mission. She and her husband Andy live in Fredericksburg, Texas. They have 2 married children and 6 wonderful grandchildren--Kami, Kourtney, Katie, Mallory, Grayson, and Avery.
