Creator God, Loving Father,
We are brought to this place to remember. On this night, 50 years ago your servant was shot down, assassinated. A modern day prophet who’s life was snuffed out to soon.
We come to this place on this night to remember not only a death still painful but to witness a legacy rooted and grounded in your love and a legacy still strong and growing.
Heavenly Father, you are good. You are love, joy, and peace. You are patience, kindness, and goodness. You are faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are your characteristics and you are their definition. We know you are sovereign even in the midst of pain, suffering and injustice. You work all things for good.
So Father, on this night, we remember the life, work, and ministry of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior who sits as a member of the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us. We remember your servant and visionary who worked to live out Jesus’ dream of unity, peace, and togetherness; of justice and righteousness.
On this night, we remember his model of peace and non-violence which is the way of the cross; sacrificial love which will give its life when called and lay down our lives for others.
On this night we remember a legacy that saw a heavenly vision, like Moses on the mountaintop, seeing the Promised Land, ready to take his people there from a place of bondage to ultimate freedom.
On this night, we know the fight for justice rages on in our communities, state, country, and world. We have made great progress through your guidance, but the work is not yet finished. Help us become the beloved community.
On this night, we pray for our enemies. We pray for those who still rise up and abuse their authority and in fear take lives without cause. Oh, Lord have mercy. Heal our brokenness.
On this night, we commit to your way of peace and non-violence for those who live by the sword will die by the sword. We pray for boldness and dignity as we turn the other cheek in Holy defiance of abuse.
On this night, we covenant together to work together, for there is no Jew nor Gentile, no black no white, no male no female, no young no old, we are all in Christ and nothing separates us from your love, O Lord.
On this night, we further resolve to work and pray for an end to white supremacy and prejudice. To see your people, for you created all of us, to see us united through your love and our love of our neighbor above ourselves. If there is love, there can be no fear and with no fear no hate, and with no hate, a commitment to work together to solve our deepest problems.
And on this night, O Lord, we give thanks for legacies lived, for the shaping and making of our own legacies. To see an end to all injustice. From the words of the prophet Amos, to see justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever- flowing stream. To define our greatness by serving others. To break down all of the chords that divide us, to tear down the walls and build one another up in love.
Thank you, Father. Give us a vision for peace we saw in your servant, Dr. Martin Luther King who lived out your Holy vision. Grant us the courage to work tirelessly and together until that end. For on this night, we commit our way to You.- In Jesus name, Amen