Prayers of Church & Community, January 21, 2024
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Holy God, forever the light of all creation, the energy of all that is kind and good, the hope of the ages, and the comfort of our souls.
We lift up our hearts to you, O LORD, our God … to see what is right and beautiful … to be delivered from the falsehoods of the day, the lies, the illusions, the promises and the promotions, that offer life, but only give us sorrow.
We humbly and honestly pray for the salvation of our souls … we pray not for perfection, but for faith … to cast our cares into your hands … to give our lives unto Christ … to find our place in the world, by finding our place in you.
We come to the place of our baptism, dear God, because we are weary … our souls parched by the heat of the day and the dust of the road … we come to the table of bread and drink, for we are hungry … our souls yearn for the bread of heaven and the cup of blessing … we hunger and thirst for righteousness.
We give thanks for the stories of our faith … stories of women and men just like us, dear God - full of life and full of sorrow, running toward the light, and running away from it … full of ourselves, and empty of good, uncertain of our identity, longing for love, hoping for peace, wanting what only you, dear God, can give - the everlasting goodness of eternity, the matchless beauty of Christ.
We pray for our world … grateful that as we pray, O LORD, millions of prayers are rising up from the heart of your people all around the world … women and men of faith, great faith, small faith, wavering faith, triumphant faith, faith broken, faith healed, faith soaring high unto the heavens, faith running the race of life, faith walking, slowly, one step at a time …
Before we say it, O LORD, you know it … before we ask it, you do it … you bless us and our loved ones … there is healing in your wings, there is love in your mercy … there is hope in your providential care for all your creatures, great and small …
Where there is death and sorrow, O God, you are there with comfort …
~ where there is anger and fear, O God, you are there with the healing balm of your Holy Spirit …
~ where there is foolish ignorance, O God, you are there with the light of Christ …
~ where there are lies and deceptions, O God, you are there with the truth of the cross and the glory of the resurrection.
~ where there is noise and nonsense, O God, you are there with the gift of holy silence and the gentle touch of angels.
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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