pastoral prayer - 5.29.05

O God, our help in ages past, we thank you that we can awake and sense your presence around us;

When the sun rises and the storm filled skies part we remember your promises, and stand firm knowing that you have set your bow in the clouds and vowed never to fight against us again.

Sometimes, O Lord, we take your generosity for granted; we push the boundaries and test your love; we destroy what you create in name of faith; we sow seeds of discord rather than seeking peace; we trample the weak and those who cry out for justice in the name of progress.

Forgive our misguided attempts at playing God, and help us to look to you, our rock and foundation, when the storms of life come to pass.

We live, O God, in a world of results. Where our every move is calculated to provide the greatest benefit to us; where people are judged by their production value and contributions to the economy, for those who do not measure up to our standards of success we pray that they might find peace in the knowledge of your love for them.

O great Healer, we pray this day that our world might be renewed and that this renewal begins with our hearts.

For parts of the world that are war torn,
for children that sleep with one eye open out of fear,
for those who do not know where their next meal will come from or do not have shelter or jobs,
for countries that do not care for their poor,
for cities that bicker over how to best use their resources,
for churches that are torn by petty theological differences,

Pour out your Holy Spirit that these places might sense your presence and begin anew. Grant them wisdom and hope that we all might find the grace to live lives that stand firm on the foundations of your love for us.

Into each of our lives storms will fall and the houses we have built will tremble and shake. Grant us the wisdom to build our lives around the words and actions of your son, who taught us to pray, saying…

0 comments:

 

Visit InfoServe for blogger templates