When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard.
“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and the seek Your direction and guidance.” We know your word says, “Woe on those who call evil good,” but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We confess that:
We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism.
We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism.
We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn children and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to directus to the center of your will. I ask it in the name of Your Son, the living savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.”
The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In six short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Reverent Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of the prayer from India, Africa, and Korea. Commentator Paul Harvey aired the prayer on his radio program, The Rest of The Story, and received a larger response than any other he has ever aired.
With God’s help, may the goals wrapped within this eloquent entreaty strengthen each family and enliven every business, and wholeheartedly become our desire so we can once again be called, “One nation under God,” in keeping with the vision set forth by our forefathers.