During our quarterly Family Meeting, we set aside some time to discuss, seek counsel from the Scriptures, and pray for discernment to know how we should respond as Christ-followers to this latest season of tragedies, violence, and unrest that has plagued our nation.

And, it is only the latest and most recent season…

We convened a three-pastors panel to address the many issues and questions that we must struggle with:

• What should we think?
• What should we feel?
• What should we say?
• How should we respond as Christ-followers and representatives of our God, Savior, and King?
• How should we conduct our daily lives especially under the counsel of Scriptures like 1 Peter 1.17: “And if you call on Him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile…” and 1 Peter 2.11-12: “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” … and many other such exhortations.

At the conclusion of the panel discussion, the congregants broke up into small groups among themselves to pray with each other. Then, at the conclusion of these small prayer groups, I led us all in a pastoral prayer. I prefaced my prayer with these words: “When we don’t know how or for what we should pray, the Holy Spirit helps us in our infirmities and weaknesses by interceding for us—mediating the will of God to us, bearing witness with our spirits; and mediating our prayers back to God, bringing us into conformity and agreement with God’s will. I have prayed much over these past few days, specifically to know the will and mind of God concerning these issues—and how we should respond as ambassadors for Christ. I offer some snatches of my personal prayers to you…and ask that you join me as we implore God together.”

I humbly offer it now to you, praying that God will help us all to know how to pray and how to respond in His Name…