I can sit at the diner counter now, but are we there yet? Praying for change just like Dr. King did

Imagine if, in America, black people, like me, still had to drink from separate water fountains or enter a building through a separate doorway. Imagine if I were still banned from certain schools, hotels, and retail stores. Imagine if seeing me sit at the counter in a diner remained forbidden. While some, unfortunately, hateful people can see and yearn for this image vividly, my mind will not focus on them today.

A significant part of the efforts to ensure black people, like me, no longer experience racial discrimination at this level of segregation was due to Dr. Martin Luther King, organizations like SNCC (the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee), as well as churches in the black community. While other organizations played an important part in the fight for change, a key element introduced by Dr. King and the churches was prayer.

Slaves on the plantations believed change would come, and often sealed that belief with prayer. I believe the Lord heard those prayers and he moved in them. Slaves were emancipated in 1865. Over 100 years later, oppressed black people would be praying again as unfair rules and regulations kept them separated from society. God heard those prayers and he moved.

Today we can freely sit at counters in diners, but we can't stop praying because we haven’t “arrived”. We are not where we should be yet.

Disparities continue to persist in healthcare, education, and employment. Yes, we've made good progress. I live in a neighborhood, where only a few decades ago, someone probably would be misguidedly, and ignorantly, burning a cross on my lawn with no repercussions. I’m grateful for the progress, but I continue to pray for the neighborhoods where people use guns to settle disagreements, high school dropout rates echo limited job opportunities, single parenthood requires government support, drug addiction is not labeled an opioid crisis, and so much more. Great churches live in these neighborhoods. They persistently pray for Jesus to help bring change. I believe a change is “gonna come one day”.

Can you add these neighborhoods to your prayers? And will you continually pray for a change to come?

Jesus will hear you.