Eternal God, you have given us the light of Christ, that we might find our way through a difficult and troubling world … that we might: face the day with courage … bear patiently the trials of life … serve Christ as best we can, trusting that our efforts are important to you … that you are pleased when we try to follow Christ … pleased, when we pray and seek the truth … pleased, when we look upon our world with kindly eyes and generous hearts … pleased, when we reach for the highest of human dreams, and stand with our better angels …
We pray, O God, for those who have lost so much in the recent hurricane … we give thanks for the resources of our nation - the Coast Guard, FEMA, government agencies, and rescue workers wading through the waters … help us, O God, to join hands and hearts in the recovery effort, to be one nation in mercy and charity.
We pray for those near and dear to us, our families, our friends … we pray, as well, for the whole world … even as people of good conscience and faith are in prayer with us … because your Holy Spirit moves across the face of the earth, touching every heart with love and hope and peace … for such is your glory, O God .. such is your goodness … such is your covenantal presence in the whole of creation … at work in all things for good.
Day-by-day, O LORD, create within us hearts of gratitude … to give thanks for the good things of life, remind us to pause now and then and count our blessings … to walk on the sunny side of the street … and when we’re in the valley of shadows, O God, speak tenderly to our soul … when life lays heavy upon us, when fears take hold and courage wavers, hold our hands, and comfort us with your Holy Spirit.
Remind us, O God, there is nothing in life or in death that can separate us from your great love in Christ Jesus our LORD. Here and now, then and there, we belong to you.
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. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
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