Let me say this right off the bat, I am only blogging this to inform and hopefully generate prayer. I am very glad we live in a country where people who have embraced a gay identity share the same right’s to assembly, speech and conscience (and many others.) So, this event makes me proud to live in America where the freedom to do something like this can be planned, organized and implemented out in the light of day.
At the same time, you know I and millions of others will be praying for those who have decided to take part in the National Equality March. I will be praying for the following (and invite you to pray with me):
For True Freedom: That God’s freedom and sovereign love will lead the participants to Him. I have a friend who was in a pride parade and out of the blue, he just knew that he knew God was telling him to leave. So … he did. God is so much bigger than we often give Him credit for. I am praying for truly loving Christians to be sovereignly placed among the crowd to love and serve wherever the door opens to do so. I am praying that the hellfire and brimstone crowd stays home. <–My personal opinion right there 
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Praying for safety: not only from anyone who might try to use this opportunity to attack them because of homophobia, but also from some of the peripheral parties and events that are planned or spring up around these types of events.
Pray for compassion: Some people will be there for the sole purpose of stigmatizing the people in the march and gaining video/photos to that effect. I am not going to debate that as a possible good that some conservatives have said it is and that I should not publicly criticize. Reporting facts is a good thing, stigmatizing people is wrong. I pray when people learn about this they will be moved to compassion even if they disagree with what the event participants are pushing for.
Praying for President Obama: He will be speaking at the HRC black tie dinner Saturday night. The gay activist community is not happy with him because he hasn’t followed through on any of his campaign promises to them. I would imagine he is going to have to answer them at this event and every word will be enshrined so … definitely praying for him and for them.
Praying for those “Coming Out” – Sunday is the annual “Coming Out” day where people across the country will be telling others they have embraced a gay identity. Some will consider this a very happy day and others will be devastated. I will be praying for millions to come home to Christ.
Praying for a new civility for the post-gay reality – I am getting a sense that people are just flat out tired of the old culture war mantras on both sides. I don’t know exactly how this would work or what it would look like but I am praying that dissatisfaction with age old time worn culture war hullabaloo would grow and a push for a new civility would arise. I am not talking about creating false common ground spinning around the same word games with a different “I love you, you love me” brand. I want authentic relationship, respect and dialog.
So, will you join me in prayer? Feel free to leave more issues to pray about in the comments.
MORE:
The Washington Blade (Gay Paper) – Our Fight For Full Equality
Cornered by Grace – The Testimony of Amy Tracy
About Randy Thomas
