By CHUCK GRIFFITH
Religion Columnist

I have enjoyed writing this article in Dr. John Hatcher’s absence. Thanks for reading.

This may seem strange but for my last article I want to give you the text of “The Prayer” by Reverend Joe Wright. This prayer includes many of the things I have written about this summer.

When minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate several years ago, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

THE PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to 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 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 direct us to the center of Your will. I ask it in the name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ,
Amen.

All I can add is “Amen!”

Chuck Griffith is pastor of Fayette Assembly of God, 1144 Ga. Highway 92 South in Fayetteville, 770-719-0322.

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