A Prayer For George

This is a prayer written by Will Willimon...

News of the death yesterday of Sgt. George Alexander, Jr., from woundsreceived in Iraq, has prompted me to prayer. Sgt. Alexander, 34, was agraduate of Chilton County High and an Alabama native. A Prayer for George Alexander, Jr. Lord Jesus, King of Kings, Savior of the World, Prince of Peace, hear thisprayer for George, son of Alabama, two thousandth American soldier to die inour war in Iraq. Receive him, we pray -- a lamb of Your flock, a sinner forwhom You have died, a cherished and beloved Child of God -- and one who isat peace at last, because he is with You. George had an Alabama boyhood, an Alabama youth, and Alabama dreams. I prayfor his mother, for his family and friends, his church, and all those forwhom his death means not only the ending of his dreams, but the beginning oftheir lifetime of grief and loss. Lord, help us to feel some measure oftheir pain. Save us from offering cheap consolation or patriotic platitudesin the face of their loss. Instill in our hard hearts a determination towork with You for a government in which we shall make peace as quickly andresourcefully as we make war, a country that loves Your righteousness andjustice more than our security and power. One and Only Way, Truth, and Life, give us the grace to live by Your Wordrather than by our weapons. Lord Jesus, You never lifted Your hand againstanyone, You refused to defend Yourself even when unjustly attacked, Youresisted violence with peace and nonviolence, and You never, ever told usthat war was the answer to anything. When will we move from worshipping Youto following You? Seeker and Lover of the Lost, forgive us of our sin of attempting to solvethe world¹s problems through violence and war, forgive us of our willingnessto once again allow old people like me to send young people like George tomake war on others and to suffer and die to preserve our privileges, forgiveus for loving our freedom more than Your peace, and for treating Your giftof life so casually. Give us, in our grief for our fallen daughters andsons, an equal amount of grief for the deaths of the twenty-five thousandIraqi sisters and brothers in Christ. Grant us a miracle: that George benot only the two thousandth young American to die in this war, but also thelast. Judge of us all, I confess that I have not prayed enough, have not embodiedYour truth enough, have not been critical enough of our political leaders,have acquiesced to the plans of the initiators and makers of war, ratherthan to join the ranks of Your blessed makers of peace. In Your name, andin heartfelt grief for the loss of George, and in bold confidence in Yourcoming Kingdom, I pray. Amen.