A lot of people have blogged about Donald Miller praying at the DNC (which was after Cameron Strang’s deferral) and it has made me think about it too. I was thinking about it differently though. I noticed the long, detailed prayer that he prayed which is typical for prayers at this sort of thing. The full text of the prayer is below.

If I were asked to pray at some huge political event, I think I would just walk up to the microphone and bow my head and say,

“Dear God, please help us in this convention. Amen.”

I feel like people would freak out. I don’t really like these long written prayers. It used to bug me at Biola when certain professors would read their prayers. I think prayers should always just come from the heart. I don’t say this to bash Donald Miller. I think he is awesome. I just am commenting on the tradition.

Here is the full text of the prayer:
“Father God,
This week, as the world looks on, help the leaders in this room create a civil dialogue about our future.
We need you, God, as individuals and also as a nation.
We need you to protect us from our enemies, but also from ourselves, because we are easily tempted toward apathy.
Give us a passion to advance opportunities for the least of these, for widows and orphans, for single moms and children whose fathers have left.
Give us the eyes to see them, and the ears to hear them, and hands willing to serve them.
Help us serve people, not just causes. And stand up to specific injustices rather than vague notions.
Give those in this room who have power, along with those who will meet next week, the courage to work together to finally provide health care to those who don’t have any, and a living wage so families can thrive rather than struggle.
Help us figure out how to pay teachers what they deserve and give children an equal opportunity to get a college education.
Help us figure out the balance between economic opportunity and corporate gluttony.
We have tried to solve these problems ourselves but they are still there. We need your help.
Father, will you restore our moral standing in the world.
A lot of people don’t like us but that’s because they don’t know the heart of the average American.
Will you give us favor and forgiveness, along with our allies around the world.
Help us be an example of humility and strength once again.
Lastly, father, unify us.
Even in our diversity help us see how much we have in common.
And unify us not just in our ideas and in our sentiments—but in our actions, as we look around and figure out something we can do to help create an America even greater than the one we have come to cherish.
God we know that you are good.
Thank you for blessing us in so many ways as Americans.
I make these requests in the name of your son, Jesus, who gave his own life against the forces of injustice.
Let Him be our example.
Amen.”