Father, I have seen the commands of Scripture
to care deeply about the plight of the oppressed.
I am often moved emotionally
when oppression is before me.
I am often filled with good intentions about what I could do
to help those who are oppressed.
Yet I seldom act.
I seldom visit the orphans and the widows.
I seldom speak against the systematic oppression in our world.
Sometimes I don’t act because I’m too consumed
with the details of my life.
Sometimes I don’t act because I don’t want to complicate my life.
But today please strip away all my excuses,
and let me practice pure religion:
by visiting the afflicted and comforting them,
by working to stop injustice,
and by keeping myself from loving this world too much to act or pray.
Kurt Bjorklund, 1968- , American Minister and author of
Prayers for Today A Yearlong Journey of Devotional Prayer
Prayers for Today A Yearlong Journey of Devotional Prayer
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Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this:
to visit orphans and widows in their affliction,
and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
prayer & verse 