In your presence, O God, we find ourselves.
We find the where and the what and the why of our lives.
Heaven knows we’ve tried a concoction of other gods and goods.
Only to find ourselves all the more intent on knowing and loving you.
With unabated hope, dear God, we pray for our world.
For you are at work in all things …
Your love, O LORD, has a far reach, and your love continues to bend the course of history toward justice.
Your judgments, always merciful, bring down the high and the mighty, and lift up the poor and the downtrodden.
For us, O LORD, your timeline seems too slow … but in Christ, we see the final outcome and hear the promise that all shall be made new … we trust in your wisdom and in your mercy to get us there, at the right time.
We pray for the Holy Spirit in our lives.
To heal our wounds and restore our dignity.
That we might be a part of Christ, effectively.
And work beside him.
In Christ, O LORD, keep our eyes clean and clear.
That we might not be seduced by the glitter of power and the lust for national glory.
Keep our eyes open, we pray, to the needs of others.
To be kindly in our thoughts and compassionate in our actions.
To seek only the best.
Judging not, and welcoming all.
Giving everyone a break, doing unto others as we would have them do unto us.
Help your people around the world to bear witness to the faith, hope and love we find in Jesus Christ.
And for people of good faith everywhere … our sisters and brothers who are Muslim and Buddhist and Hindu and Jewish, and so many other stripes and flavors, help us all to link arms against violence, to stand with one another for peace, to resist the allurement of easy answers and military options … to be people of prayer and people of good service – to ease the burdens of the poor, to feed the hungry and cloth the naked … and speak out and speak up against unfairness and prejudice and bigotry and half-truths and mindless religion and religion without a heart.
We give thanks for humanitarian organizations around the world, making a difference, calling us to responsibility and helping us focus our power for good and for peace.
We give thanks for The Hunger Project.
The Peace Corps.
And Doctors Without Borders.
LORD, we pray for Covenant on the Corner this morning.
Our friends and neighbors, and those with whom we work.
For all who sorrow … may they be comforted by your Holy Spirit.
For the lonely … may they be consoled by good and loving friends.
For those who are confused and frightened … may they see the love of Christ today and find new direction for their life and a greater confidence to face the challenges of the day.
And for the proud, we pray … may the fear that drives pride be cast out … that a new and easy love might emerge.
For the angry, we pray … may they find peace in their time.
And for the bitter, we pray … may they find joy in Christ … may they find the power to forgive, and the grace to forget.
Bless us, we pray, that we might be a blessing to others.
Guide us, we pray, that we might lead others to Christ.
Fill us with your goodness that we might be good for one another.
In the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
No comments:
Post a Comment