A Prayer a Day: Good morning, Holy God. It’s Pentecost Sunday, the symbols of Pentecost are front in my mind; the symbols of the firey flames and the dove of peace. Flames are nice on candles held high Christmas Eve, while we smile into each other’s faces and sing, “Silent Night.” The last five nights have not been silent nights in large cities across our country. Sadly, instead of candles held high, with smiling and singing, we have seen images of tears, cries of anguish, anger, frustration, and destruction.That’s the thing about fire, in itself fire is not good or bad. If it warms you on a winter’s night or cooks your food, it’s good. If it is an explosion a fire bomb destroying businesses and people’s livelihoods, its bad. We have seen many bad fires over the years.A vivid memory of bad fire was the California fire in 2018, that destroyed everything for miles and miles. Lord God, I imagine you are deeply saddened by the images you are seeing here on the earth, you created. It must pain you, as our Heavenly Father, as it pains us, as earthly parents, to see your children fighting and hurting each other. I know you love us all as your precious children. I know that you, Lord, value variety and beauty in your creation.There is not one flower, but .4 million flowers.There is not one bird, but 10,000 species of birds.There is not one language on earth, but 6,700 languages and 5,000 different cultures. Lord, all of us upon your earth are human beings.We are one species.God, you make us one giant human family. We are all created by you, loved by you, and valued by you. Our differences are all totally superficial, like flowers, some of us have more color, some less.This thinking reminds me of a song we sang in Vacation Bible School and Sunday School, “Jesus Loves the Little Children.” Do you remember the words? “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world; red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” I want to be like Jesus: God, you call us to be like Jesus. You show us how to value variety and beauty by making our world rich in color, contrast, and diversity. Help us, Holy God, to see each other with love and grace, as you see us. Help us, to stop hurting and killing each other. Lord, we have never needed the power of your Holy Spirit more than now. Come Holy Spirit and make us unified in your love: amen.