APRIL 21, 2021 | by Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner | NCNW National Chaplain and President of Skinner Leadership Institute
O Lord, our God, our hearts bow in humble adoration before your throne of mercy and grace. It is from you, and you alone, that every good and perfect gift flows. O, how we thank you, God, for the gift of justice in Minneapolis where former White police officer, Derek Chauvin, was convicted of a cruel and very public murder of a Black man, George Floyd, the first such conviction in the state’s history.
With hearts still grieving justice denied in countless police murders of unarmed Black and Brown citizens, we thank you for stepping in this one moment to declare "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:19) We pray O Lord, for Mr. Floyd’s young daughter and his family, who for nearly a year, publicly grieved, cried, and prayed to a God who hears and answers prayer. Thank you, Lord, for answering their prayers and ours. We praise you for granting a moment of justice in our hurting nation. We thank you God, for their earnest pleas for nonviolent protests of a broken policing system dishonoring police who daily protect all citizens. And, we thank you, Lord, for people of every race and background peacefully seeking transformed policing that renders public safety to everyone, especially Black and Brown citizens.
Loving God, even as tears of joy flowed across the land for a fleeting moment of justice in Minneapolis, our hearts cried anew as news flashed of a Black teenage Ohio girl killed by police as she called for help. Steady us, right now O God, as we continue to fight the good fight of faith for justice to roll down in our land for all your children. In your mighty name, we pray, Lord Jesus. AMEN!