Praying Together For Life

“Life issues” today are highly contentious. So much so that many caring Christians struggle to think about, talk about, or respond to them in loving and constructive ways. The result can be an unintended quietism, where we do nothing. When I teach pastoral theology classes, life issues come up. Below, is a reflection I often share and one in which we engage with the seminary Life Team and student body more broadly through a practice in daily chapel.

My first experience with this came from a congregation I served before being called to the seminary. It was in a politically “purple” part of the state, so life issues were often not discussed. But we discovered something that helped us ponder these issues and open the conversation in a more unified spirit. This also resulted in greater life affirming activity. It was the practice of praying together for life.

In the weekly prayers in worship, we began including a petition, praying for the lives of the unborn, of mothers and fathers with child, and of those facing the end of life. These prayers were sometimes ex corde, sometimes scripted. And they were weekly. They were not political in nature. They did not address public policy or cultural conflicts. They simply appealed to God in Christ to protect from “hurt or harm our neighbors in their bodies.” (cf. fifth Commandment explanation)

Of course, we prayed for our own members regarding pregnancy, marriage, illness, end of life, comfort in death, and whatever life issues they were facing. I believe most congregations offer such prayers, which are truly important petitions to the Lord of life. But what was insightful for me, was that as their pastor, I led the congregation members each week in praying a petition for others we do not know, whose lives were threatened by abortion, misguided beliefs about sexuality and marriage, hurtful practices at the end of life, and so forth. Again, these petitions were not political in nature, just expressed love for neighbors in need. While being life affirming, they were not contentious.

Therefore, just like we prayed weekly for unbelievers regarding their need for “eternal life” (the most important life issue of all), we also prayed for the protection and affirmation of temporal life.

When I got involved with the Life Team at Concordia Seminary, I learned about another group I had missed in our prayers in the congregation, that is, those who are post-abortive. These are the women and men who, having been involved with abortions, may now be dealing with the guilt, regret, and physical hardship that can result from abortion.

At the seminary, to help us more fully ponder life issues and open the conversation about them even outside of class, we requested the Dean of Chapel to have weekly prayers regarding life issues. Chapel had certainly included them before. We simply asked that they become consistent and weekly. The chapel leadership responded positively. If you access chapel services online, you will hear each week prayers on all manner of life issues. At the end of this post, find one such prayer.

Thanks for reading about and pondering the practice of affirming life through praying together as we now practice it at the seminary. If you don’t already do this in your home and/or congregation, please consider it.

Gracious Father, author of life, in love protect all unborn children, guide mothers and fathers into courageous paths of life, and heal the guilt and regret of those who are post-abortive. Give comfort to the barren and let us be their true family; as you served us in our weakness, help us to serve the weak, the troubled, and those who approach the end of life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.