Praying for Jerry Falwell, Jr.: An Act of Gratitude and Love

Photo Credit: Photo of Jerry Falwell, Jr., posted on his Instagram account on or about Sunday, March 14, 2021.

Someone recently brought to my attention that Jerry Falwell, Jr., has been undergoing treatment in New York City for pulmonary emboli. Now, those closest to me know how extremely "hard" I was on Jerry during both his maleficent reign of Liberty University and his period of moral indiscretion. However, my prayer for Jerry has always been--and continues to be--his repentance and concomitant return to wisdom, grace, and humility. Out of gratitude for my own salvation, how could I pray otherwise for him? He possesses the imago Dei in the same way as you and I, thus we are to pray for and love him as we would anyone else. To fortify a hardened position toward Jerry whilst he navigates his valley of the shadow is to abjure the very grace, love, and mercy we so boldly proclaim in the name of our Lord.

Unfortunately, that's just what I've seen going on throughout the day today, as folks make snarky comments about Jerry's condition or mock his weight gain, as observed in a recent photo posted on Instagram. To these people--many of whom claim the name of Christ--I ask you to consider the cross, the blood, the crown of thorns, the punctured hands and feet, the spear in the side, and the rent curtain. I ask you to consider your own lostness and sin, the all-sufficient grace that saved you, and the unearned righteousness given to you as a gift. I ask you to consider a broken man, whose facade may be one of strength but whose core is no doubt lined with regret, guilt, and pain. I ask you to consider the sin you no doubt harbor, the closets you hope will never be opened, and the guilt and pain you, too, suffer.

You see, the Bible tells us not only to love those who are easy to love, but also to love our enemies--those who are difficult to love and whom we may not believe even deserve our love. Truthfully, who among us deserves love? God doesn't give us love because we deserve it; he gives it to us because...well...he simply wants to do so. Maybe we should want to give Jerry a little of that love....indeed, even a lot of that love.

If you will join me in praying for Jerry, I want you to take a bold step. Please go to the link below and fill out the prayer request form. You are not required to give your name, and all you need to put in the prayer request field is, "Count me in for Jerry." Let's see how many folks we can get to pray for this man whom our Lord loves dearly.

Click on this link: https://www.thedomovement.com/about-4-1

I'd like to gather 1,000 prayers by this time next week. Don't pass it by. It'll only take you 10 seconds, but your prayers may have eternal results. Come on! Let's do it today...as an act of Christian gratitude and love.