Today’s Thought “Doctrinal Praying” G. Ward

 

“The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector.” Luke 18:11

 

My early days as a believer were filled with great perplexity concerning both church polity and protocol. Black culture for an example (i.e. culinary, church and social) is transcendent of this modernity, including practices emanating from our African and slavery roots. Therefore, one must identify with history before authenticating membership.

Today I’m contemplating the traditional prayers of the deacon (for my Hispanic, Asian and Anglo brethren, please remember I’m referring to Black culture). The opening in worship services invited several deacons to assemble in front of the congregation to sing and each would pray. Although this appeared more sporadic (prayers, that is), it was often very liturgical in presentation. They would sing this most excellent song, “A Charge to Keep.” For over a year, I was particularly intrigued on why the first verse in this song celebrated Ray Charles. It wasn’t that at all! Negro musical genres in times past neglected proper enunciation because it served as communication esoteric to other Negroes. While many have perpetuated legitimizing “Ebonics” as linguistically acceptable I beg to differ; understanding  as the great philosopher/comedian Redd Foxx once said; “We arrived on these shores speaking perfectly good Swahili (get it?)!

Then there was this constant thanks unto Holy God for allowing great slumber on the night before and gratefulness for not awakening on “my cooling board.” Note; the question un-asked is yet stupid. Well I finally got around to asking. The cooling board is referring to the gurney to which a corpse is positioned before a body is prepped before a funeral.

We’ve come a long ways in a short time as Black Americans and many of us still have “A Charge to Keep and A God to Glorify!” Moreover, we’re still thankful that although our bodies may inevitably rest on a “cooling board,” we have a home eternal, not made by human hands…

Happy Wednesday!