Rev. Robert M. Grant Jr., who pastors The Father’s Way Church in Warrenton was invited to pray before the Virginia House of Delegates yesterday morning and gave Democrats an earful as he prayed for over five minutes, condemning both abortion and gay marriage in his prayer. I’ve got it cued up to 3:36 where he begins praying against abortion:
Democrats got so annoyed by his prayer that one of them shouted “Is this a prayer or a sermon?” about the point he starts praying against gay marriage.
According to MRC, some Democrats walked out of the chamber. That isn’t visible on the video, but what you do see in the background is the Speaker banging the gavel to stop the prayer before it’s done and proceed to the Pledge of Allegiance. The pastor’s mic is cut and he slowly realizes what’s going on.
Here’s some of what he prayed:
“I pray that you may understand that all life is precious and worthy of a chance to be born. God is the giver of life and people have no right or authority to take life. The unborn have rights and those rights need to be protected. They should never be denied the right to exist, the right to develop or the right to have a family,” he said from the podium.
“The word of God has given us a warning: woe to anyone who harms an innocent child,” he added, telling state lawmakers that “every one of you sitting here today can guarantee these rights to these little innocent children of Virginia.”
“Please do not ignore their little voices. I pray for a heart change today, and may the Lord God have mercy upon this leadership,” he went on.
Grant then switched to gay marriage.
“We should never rewrite what God has declared,” he continued, praying that the state would “always protect the biblical definition of marriage” between one man and one woman.
In all truthfulness he did treat the prayer like a mini sermon. But this is exactly what they needed to hear and I think it’s awesome that he was brave enough to speak truth to power, as Democrats like to say. I doubt he’ll ever be invited back, but good for him for taking advantage of such an opportunity.