The Lord’s Day
O God,
You in your grace respond
To our anxiety with resurrection!
To our fears with resurrection!
To our despair with resurrection!
To our hopelessness with resurrection!
To our death with resurrection!
Today we respond to resurrection—Jesus’ resurrection and ours—with our worship.
May our worship be resurrection-focused and resurrection-powered.
Amen.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
A Prayer for Saturday, September 29, 2012
Disruption
A disruption is an interruption that really fouls things up.
We don’t like disruptions, of course. We don’t like them because we can’t anticipate them, we can’t prepare for them, we can’t control them, and sometimes we just about can’t handle them.
Remind us, O God, that disruptions can be a gift in that they remind us of what life is really like; they destroy the illusion that we are in charge and thus call us to renew our trust in you.
Still, we cannot downplay the reality that disruptions are challenges with which we must deal and we need much grace, faith, and courage so that we can get through them and come out on the other side having made progress.
So we give those mysterious disruptions that are surely coming over to you, O God, and ask you through them to make us better.
Amen.
A disruption is an interruption that really fouls things up.
We don’t like disruptions, of course. We don’t like them because we can’t anticipate them, we can’t prepare for them, we can’t control them, and sometimes we just about can’t handle them.
Remind us, O God, that disruptions can be a gift in that they remind us of what life is really like; they destroy the illusion that we are in charge and thus call us to renew our trust in you.
Still, we cannot downplay the reality that disruptions are challenges with which we must deal and we need much grace, faith, and courage so that we can get through them and come out on the other side having made progress.
So we give those mysterious disruptions that are surely coming over to you, O God, and ask you through them to make us better.
Amen.
Friday, September 28, 2012
A Prayer for Friday, September 28, 2012
Important
Help us to know, O God, what is important and then lead us to spend our time and energy on that.
At the same time, protect us from the kind of thinking that concludes that only big and extraordinary things are important.
Remind us that, for all we know, the most important things we do today may be the most simple or mundane.
Whatever we have to do, O God, empower us to love you with all we are and to love our neighbor as ourselves; that way, whether something seems important or not, it will be.
Amen.
Help us to know, O God, what is important and then lead us to spend our time and energy on that.
At the same time, protect us from the kind of thinking that concludes that only big and extraordinary things are important.
Remind us that, for all we know, the most important things we do today may be the most simple or mundane.
Whatever we have to do, O God, empower us to love you with all we are and to love our neighbor as ourselves; that way, whether something seems important or not, it will be.
Amen.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
A Prayer for Thursday, September 27, 2012
Stop
Sometimes you just have to stop; sometimes you just can’t keep going.
Help us, O Lord, to build in regular times along the way to stop so that we can catch our breath and check our bearings.
Help us, O Lord, to listen to our body, mind, and spirit so that we will detect the messages from within that tell us it is time to stop.
Help us, O Lord, in those times when we stop, whether it is by choice or by force, to listen for your still small voice that will, if we listen, show us the best way—or at least show us the best options.
Amen.
Sometimes you just have to stop; sometimes you just can’t keep going.
Help us, O Lord, to build in regular times along the way to stop so that we can catch our breath and check our bearings.
Help us, O Lord, to listen to our body, mind, and spirit so that we will detect the messages from within that tell us it is time to stop.
Help us, O Lord, in those times when we stop, whether it is by choice or by force, to listen for your still small voice that will, if we listen, show us the best way—or at least show us the best options.
Amen.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
A Prayer for Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Cynical
O God,
Help us on the one hand to be realistic about the ways that people—ourselves and others—are. Deliver us from naiveté that leads us to ignore the very real issues that people can have that can lead them to inflict very real pain
Help us on the other hand not to be cynical about the ways that people—ourselves and others—are. Deliver us from contempt that leads us always to assume the worst about people.
Remind us that people can be bad and that people can be good, that they can have sincere motives or insincere motives, and that they can have integrity or lack integrity—and that people are most often a mixture of all of those realities at the same time.
Help us all in Christ to be growing into the kind of whole and sound people that you mean for us to be.
And help us to grow in our view of one another; cause us to be realistic in our evaluations of each other and positive in our hopes for each other.
Amen.
O God,
Help us on the one hand to be realistic about the ways that people—ourselves and others—are. Deliver us from naiveté that leads us to ignore the very real issues that people can have that can lead them to inflict very real pain
Help us on the other hand not to be cynical about the ways that people—ourselves and others—are. Deliver us from contempt that leads us always to assume the worst about people.
Remind us that people can be bad and that people can be good, that they can have sincere motives or insincere motives, and that they can have integrity or lack integrity—and that people are most often a mixture of all of those realities at the same time.
Help us all in Christ to be growing into the kind of whole and sound people that you mean for us to be.
And help us to grow in our view of one another; cause us to be realistic in our evaluations of each other and positive in our hopes for each other.
Amen.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
A Prayer for Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Disappoint
O God,
Sometimes someone disappoints us. Sometimes we disappoint someone else. Sometimes we disappoint you.
That is, sometimes we fail to live up to who we are; sometimes we fail to live up to the expectations of others—or to the expectations of the Other.
Help us to have expectations of others that are reasonable; help us not to have expectations that are so high that no one could live up to them.
Help us not to be captive to the expectations of others; help us to meet our responsibilities but not to let someone’s unrealistic expectations cause us to feel like perpetual failures.
Help us to perceive your expectations of us; help us to know your grace and love and to be helped by your Spirit so that we can grow, naturally and constantly, toward who you mean for us to be.
Cause us to realize the genuine nature of disappointment when best expectations—those that only want what is best for someone—are not met.
When someone genuinely disappoints us, give us grace to hold accountable, to forgive, and to encourage.
When we genuinely disappoint someone, give us grace to be held accountable, to forgive ourselves, and to be encouraged.
When we disappoint you, give us grace to realize our responsibility and your forgiveness and to grow through the experience.
Amen.
O God,
Sometimes someone disappoints us. Sometimes we disappoint someone else. Sometimes we disappoint you.
That is, sometimes we fail to live up to who we are; sometimes we fail to live up to the expectations of others—or to the expectations of the Other.
Help us to have expectations of others that are reasonable; help us not to have expectations that are so high that no one could live up to them.
Help us not to be captive to the expectations of others; help us to meet our responsibilities but not to let someone’s unrealistic expectations cause us to feel like perpetual failures.
Help us to perceive your expectations of us; help us to know your grace and love and to be helped by your Spirit so that we can grow, naturally and constantly, toward who you mean for us to be.
Cause us to realize the genuine nature of disappointment when best expectations—those that only want what is best for someone—are not met.
When someone genuinely disappoints us, give us grace to hold accountable, to forgive, and to encourage.
When we genuinely disappoint someone, give us grace to be held accountable, to forgive ourselves, and to be encouraged.
When we disappoint you, give us grace to realize our responsibility and your forgiveness and to grow through the experience.
Amen.
Monday, September 24, 2012
A Prayer for Monday, September 24, 2012
When
“When” is a word that can look either forward or backward.
So we can say, “When I was in the first grade,” in which case “when” points to a time in the past when something happened.
Or we can say, “When I go to the store I will buy some milk,” in which case “when” points to a time in the future when we expect something to happen.
Lord, help us to deal appropriately with our “whens” that refer to our past. Help us to forgive what needs to be forgiven, to cherish what deserves to be cherished, and to learn from it all.
Lord, help us to deal appropriately with our “whens” that refer to our future. Help us to plan according to our best insight, to avoid pinning all our hopes or fears on what may or may not happen, and to trust our future to you.
When we look backward and when we look forward, help us to look through the lenses of faith, grace, and hope.
Amen.
“When” is a word that can look either forward or backward.
So we can say, “When I was in the first grade,” in which case “when” points to a time in the past when something happened.
Or we can say, “When I go to the store I will buy some milk,” in which case “when” points to a time in the future when we expect something to happen.
Lord, help us to deal appropriately with our “whens” that refer to our past. Help us to forgive what needs to be forgiven, to cherish what deserves to be cherished, and to learn from it all.
Lord, help us to deal appropriately with our “whens” that refer to our future. Help us to plan according to our best insight, to avoid pinning all our hopes or fears on what may or may not happen, and to trust our future to you.
When we look backward and when we look forward, help us to look through the lenses of faith, grace, and hope.
Amen.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
A Prayer for Sunday, September 23, 2012
The Lord’s Day
We will go into our sanctuaries to worship today.
Then we will go back out into our communities and into our world to serve today and every other day.
Remind us, O God, that those two kinds of going always go together.
Amen.
We will go into our sanctuaries to worship today.
Then we will go back out into our communities and into our world to serve today and every other day.
Remind us, O God, that those two kinds of going always go together.
Amen.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
A Prayer for Saturday, September 22, 2012
Mercy
O God,
We are in such great need of mercy; please extend it to us.
Others are in such great need of mercy; please extend it to them through us.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Hear the cries of our hearts.
Cause us to hear the cries of others’ hearts.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Sometimes it is almost more than we can bear.
Sometimes it is almost more than they can bear.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Amen.
O God,
We are in such great need of mercy; please extend it to us.
Others are in such great need of mercy; please extend it to them through us.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Hear the cries of our hearts.
Cause us to hear the cries of others’ hearts.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Sometimes it is almost more than we can bear.
Sometimes it is almost more than they can bear.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Amen.
Friday, September 21, 2012
A Prayer for Friday, September 21, 2012
Water
We have clean water to drink. That is no small blessing, although we take it for granted.
Thank you, God, for the water that we have to drink. Thank you for those who work to insure that our drinking supply is plentiful and safe.
Make and keep us aware that 780 million people in the world do not have access to clean water and that 3.4 million people die each year from water-related diseases.
As we give thanks for our water today, we pray for those who don’t share in that blessing.
Show us how we can help and then lead us to do so.
Amen.
We have clean water to drink. That is no small blessing, although we take it for granted.
Thank you, God, for the water that we have to drink. Thank you for those who work to insure that our drinking supply is plentiful and safe.
Make and keep us aware that 780 million people in the world do not have access to clean water and that 3.4 million people die each year from water-related diseases.
As we give thanks for our water today, we pray for those who don’t share in that blessing.
Show us how we can help and then lead us to do so.
Amen.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
A Prayer for Thursday, September 20, 2012
Less
Help us to grow in grace today, O Lord, that we might focus less on
our wants,
our needs,
our fears,
our problems,
our worries, and
our frustrations.
Help us to grow in grace today, O Lord, that we might focus less on ourselves.
We recognize, though, that it is not enough to grow toward less self-centeredness; we recognize the need to grow toward greater awareness of you and greater concern for others.
So even as you lessen our focus on ourselves, replace it with a greater focus on your will and on other people’s needs.
Amen.
Help us to grow in grace today, O Lord, that we might focus less on
our wants,
our needs,
our fears,
our problems,
our worries, and
our frustrations.
Help us to grow in grace today, O Lord, that we might focus less on ourselves.
We recognize, though, that it is not enough to grow toward less self-centeredness; we recognize the need to grow toward greater awareness of you and greater concern for others.
So even as you lessen our focus on ourselves, replace it with a greater focus on your will and on other people’s needs.
Amen.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
A Prayer for Wednesday, September 19, 2012
More
Sometimes, O Lord, we get to thinking that there must be more to it all than we are seeing or experiencing. We get to thinking that way when, for example, our life feels routine, our efforts seem fruitless, or our relationships are disappointing.
Do not, O Lord, allow us to fall prey to despair.
Instead, help us to see our lives, regardless of how we feel about them at any given moment, as the great gift that they are. Help us always to see our lives as an opportunity to know and love you and to know and love other people. Help us to realize that there is more to our lives than we in our frustration are sometimes able to perceive.
Help us to live fully where we are; help us to see the more right here that we may be missing.
At the same time, give us broader vision that we might come closer to seeing reality the way that you see it. Help us to see the wonder of the universe, the beauty of the earth, the power of grace, the limitlessness of love, and the glory of eternity. Give us the imagination to get at least a glimpse of how wonderful it really all is.
Help us to live beyond where we are; help us to see the more that lies just beyond our normal field of vision.
Amen.
Sometimes, O Lord, we get to thinking that there must be more to it all than we are seeing or experiencing. We get to thinking that way when, for example, our life feels routine, our efforts seem fruitless, or our relationships are disappointing.
Do not, O Lord, allow us to fall prey to despair.
Instead, help us to see our lives, regardless of how we feel about them at any given moment, as the great gift that they are. Help us always to see our lives as an opportunity to know and love you and to know and love other people. Help us to realize that there is more to our lives than we in our frustration are sometimes able to perceive.
Help us to live fully where we are; help us to see the more right here that we may be missing.
At the same time, give us broader vision that we might come closer to seeing reality the way that you see it. Help us to see the wonder of the universe, the beauty of the earth, the power of grace, the limitlessness of love, and the glory of eternity. Give us the imagination to get at least a glimpse of how wonderful it really all is.
Help us to live beyond where we are; help us to see the more that lies just beyond our normal field of vision.
Amen.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
A Prayer for Tuesday, September 18, 2012
React
O Lord,
Things will happen to us and around us today and as they do, we will react to them.
It is our natural response to react in self-centered ways; if something good happens we react with gratitude for the blessing we have received and if something bad happens we react with defensiveness against the threat we have experienced.
Perhaps those are appropriate reactions. But perhaps they are not the best initial reactions.
Help us to grow in grace so that, whatever happens, our first reaction is to turn toward you in prayer.
Help us to grow in love so that, whatever happens, our second reaction is to turn toward others in compassion.
Help us to grow in faith so that, whatever happens, our eventual and inevitable reaction of thinking about ourselves is guided by trust rather than fear and by humility rather than pride.
Amen.
O Lord,
Things will happen to us and around us today and as they do, we will react to them.
It is our natural response to react in self-centered ways; if something good happens we react with gratitude for the blessing we have received and if something bad happens we react with defensiveness against the threat we have experienced.
Perhaps those are appropriate reactions. But perhaps they are not the best initial reactions.
Help us to grow in grace so that, whatever happens, our first reaction is to turn toward you in prayer.
Help us to grow in love so that, whatever happens, our second reaction is to turn toward others in compassion.
Help us to grow in faith so that, whatever happens, our eventual and inevitable reaction of thinking about ourselves is guided by trust rather than fear and by humility rather than pride.
Amen.
Monday, September 17, 2012
A Prayer for Monday, September 17, 2012
Unknown
O God,
What lies ahead of us in this new week is unknown to us.
Oh, there are patterns that we expect the week to follow and there are plans for the week that we expect to carry out. Still, the truth is that we have no way of knowing what will actually happen.
There is one thing we know for sure, though: we know that you will be with us to love us, to guide us, and to help us through it all.
And that is enough. It is more than enough…
Amen.
O God,
What lies ahead of us in this new week is unknown to us.
Oh, there are patterns that we expect the week to follow and there are plans for the week that we expect to carry out. Still, the truth is that we have no way of knowing what will actually happen.
There is one thing we know for sure, though: we know that you will be with us to love us, to guide us, and to help us through it all.
And that is enough. It is more than enough…
Amen.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
A Prayer for Sunday, September 16, 2012
The Lord’s Day
May our worship of you today, O God, be at the same time an hour-long (more or less, depending on our tradition) performance of our devotion to you and a rehearsal for the performance of our every hour, life-long devotion to you.
Amen.
May our worship of you today, O God, be at the same time an hour-long (more or less, depending on our tradition) performance of our devotion to you and a rehearsal for the performance of our every hour, life-long devotion to you.
Amen.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
A Prayer for Saturday, September 15, 2012
Mixed
O Lord,
Sometimes we get mixed up.
Sometimes we are overwhelmed by events in our lives, in our families, in our communities, and in our world and we get caught in a vortex created by knee-jerk reactions, thoughtful responses, varied opinions, cultural conditioning, religious bias, and genuine faith with the result that all we can do is sit, exhausted and dumbstruck.
When we get mixed up, give us by your Spirit and by your grace the patience and wisdom to sort through it all so that we can react and act as you need your people to react and act.
Sometimes we get mixed in.
Sometimes we come to identify so strongly with our social class, with our ethnic group, with our denomination, with our nationality, and/or with our political party that those identifications become more central to our self-understanding and to our responses to situations than does our identity that is being formed in Christ by your Spirit.
When we get mixed in, give us by your Spirit and by your grace the strength of character to be who we truly are in you, no matter how different and even strange that makes us look.
At the same time, O Lord, help us to stay mixed up enough to be real and mixed in enough to be involved.
Amen.
O Lord,
Sometimes we get mixed up.
Sometimes we are overwhelmed by events in our lives, in our families, in our communities, and in our world and we get caught in a vortex created by knee-jerk reactions, thoughtful responses, varied opinions, cultural conditioning, religious bias, and genuine faith with the result that all we can do is sit, exhausted and dumbstruck.
When we get mixed up, give us by your Spirit and by your grace the patience and wisdom to sort through it all so that we can react and act as you need your people to react and act.
Sometimes we get mixed in.
Sometimes we come to identify so strongly with our social class, with our ethnic group, with our denomination, with our nationality, and/or with our political party that those identifications become more central to our self-understanding and to our responses to situations than does our identity that is being formed in Christ by your Spirit.
When we get mixed in, give us by your Spirit and by your grace the strength of character to be who we truly are in you, no matter how different and even strange that makes us look.
At the same time, O Lord, help us to stay mixed up enough to be real and mixed in enough to be involved.
Amen.
Friday, September 14, 2012
A Prayer for Friday, September 14, 2012
Embrace
Help us, O God,
to hold our sins loosely but to embrace your forgiveness tightly,
to hold our hurts loosely but to embrace your healing tightly,
to hold our fears loosely but to embrace your faith tightly,
to hold our anger loosely but to embrace your mercy tightly,
to hold our distrust loosely but to embrace your love tightly,
to hold our self-interest loosely but to embrace your generosity tightly,
and
to hold our selves loosely but to embrace you and other people tightly.
Amen.
Help us, O God,
to hold our sins loosely but to embrace your forgiveness tightly,
to hold our hurts loosely but to embrace your healing tightly,
to hold our fears loosely but to embrace your faith tightly,
to hold our anger loosely but to embrace your mercy tightly,
to hold our distrust loosely but to embrace your love tightly,
to hold our self-interest loosely but to embrace your generosity tightly,
and
to hold our selves loosely but to embrace you and other people tightly.
Amen.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
A Prayer for Thursday, September 13, 2012
Reality
We will deal with all kinds of things today, O God, because we live real lives as real people in relationship with other real people in the real world.
Give us grace that we might deal with reality in ways that are helpful and productive.
Give us focus that we might not try to escape from reality in ways that are unhelpful and destructive.
Give us discernment that we might know which parts of our reality are vital and which are not.
Most of all, give us faith that we might center our lives in you, the Ultimate Reality, and in Christ Jesus our Lord who shows us how to live such a centered life.
Amen.
We will deal with all kinds of things today, O God, because we live real lives as real people in relationship with other real people in the real world.
Give us grace that we might deal with reality in ways that are helpful and productive.
Give us focus that we might not try to escape from reality in ways that are unhelpful and destructive.
Give us discernment that we might know which parts of our reality are vital and which are not.
Most of all, give us faith that we might center our lives in you, the Ultimate Reality, and in Christ Jesus our Lord who shows us how to live such a centered life.
Amen.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
A Prayer for Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Rights
We thank you, O God, for the rights that we enjoy.
We thank you for our human rights and for our civil rights; even as we thank you for them, though, we are mindful of those whose human and civil rights are denied them and we ask that they will come to know the freedoms that they should enjoy.
Give us discernment to know the difference, when we need to realize it, between standing up for our rights and standing on our rights.
Never let us forget that we have them and never let us forget to insist that everyone should have them.
At the same time, fill us with your love and grace so that we will not exercise or insist on our rights in ways that would betray our devotion to the One who emptied himself and took the form of a servant. Help us to exercise our rights in ways that would do good and not harm to others.
In all things, lead us to think first of you, next of others, and last of ourselves.
Amen.
We thank you, O God, for the rights that we enjoy.
We thank you for our human rights and for our civil rights; even as we thank you for them, though, we are mindful of those whose human and civil rights are denied them and we ask that they will come to know the freedoms that they should enjoy.
Give us discernment to know the difference, when we need to realize it, between standing up for our rights and standing on our rights.
Never let us forget that we have them and never let us forget to insist that everyone should have them.
At the same time, fill us with your love and grace so that we will not exercise or insist on our rights in ways that would betray our devotion to the One who emptied himself and took the form of a servant. Help us to exercise our rights in ways that would do good and not harm to others.
In all things, lead us to think first of you, next of others, and last of ourselves.
Amen.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
A Prayer for Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Real
Help us to make progress today in becoming more real, O God.
It is tempting to wear masks, to present a self that is different than our real self, for the sake of getting along or for the purpose of being accepted.
There is enough posturing and pretending in this old world without our contributing more.
So help us to make progress in becoming more real, O God.
Make each of us more aware of the person you made us to be and of the person you are forming us to be; help us to grow into the image of Christ, the only person who ever lived who was characterized by utter authenticity.
Help us to grow in the knowledge of who we are in you and to live in light of our true identity.
Amen.
Help us to make progress today in becoming more real, O God.
It is tempting to wear masks, to present a self that is different than our real self, for the sake of getting along or for the purpose of being accepted.
There is enough posturing and pretending in this old world without our contributing more.
So help us to make progress in becoming more real, O God.
Make each of us more aware of the person you made us to be and of the person you are forming us to be; help us to grow into the image of Christ, the only person who ever lived who was characterized by utter authenticity.
Help us to grow in the knowledge of who we are in you and to live in light of our true identity.
Amen.
Monday, September 10, 2012
A Prayer for Monday, September 10, 2012
Meaning
In this new week, O God, grant us success in our ongoing quest for meaning.
Help us to find those people about whom and projects about which we can feel passion and that thus naturally bring meaning to us.
Help us to find meaning in those people about whom and projects about which we cannot feel passion but with which we have the responsibility to deal.
In all cases, O God, may the source of our meaning be the love and grace with which you have gifted us so that we can pass it on to others.
Amen.
In this new week, O God, grant us success in our ongoing quest for meaning.
Help us to find those people about whom and projects about which we can feel passion and that thus naturally bring meaning to us.
Help us to find meaning in those people about whom and projects about which we cannot feel passion but with which we have the responsibility to deal.
In all cases, O God, may the source of our meaning be the love and grace with which you have gifted us so that we can pass it on to others.
Amen.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
A Prayer for Sunday, September 9, 2012
The Lord’s Day
We will come before you today, O Lord, in various seasons of life; some of us are children, some youth, some young adults, some middle-aged adults, and some senior adults.
Thank you that no matter in what season of life we find ourselves, you help us to live in it in ways that will contribute to our growth in grace, in love, and in service.
Thank you for the journey in which each one of is engaged; thank you also for the way in which in the Body of Christ we are on the journey together.
And thank you for being with us on the journey.
Amen.
We will come before you today, O Lord, in various seasons of life; some of us are children, some youth, some young adults, some middle-aged adults, and some senior adults.
Thank you that no matter in what season of life we find ourselves, you help us to live in it in ways that will contribute to our growth in grace, in love, and in service.
Thank you for the journey in which each one of is engaged; thank you also for the way in which in the Body of Christ we are on the journey together.
And thank you for being with us on the journey.
Amen.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
A Prayer for Saturday, September 8, 2012
Alone
O God,
Thank you for those times when we are alone because we want to be alone, because in such times we can reflect on who you are and who we are so that we can be more ourselves when we are with others.
Help us in those times when we are alone even though we don’t want to be alone, because in such times we can feel so lonely and afraid and vulnerable.
Remind us when we are alone, whether our aloneness is sought by us or is thrust upon us and whether it feels like a helpful or a hurtful experience, that we are never really alone; keep us aware that you are there.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for those times when we are alone because we want to be alone, because in such times we can reflect on who you are and who we are so that we can be more ourselves when we are with others.
Help us in those times when we are alone even though we don’t want to be alone, because in such times we can feel so lonely and afraid and vulnerable.
Remind us when we are alone, whether our aloneness is sought by us or is thrust upon us and whether it feels like a helpful or a hurtful experience, that we are never really alone; keep us aware that you are there.
Amen.
Friday, September 7, 2012
A Prayer for Friday, September 7, 2012
Motives
We praise you, O God, for all that goes into making us human; while we thank you for our physical nature and for our biological instincts, we also thank you that there is more to us than that, even as we struggle at times to deal with our complicatedness.
Keep us aware of what drives us, of what lies in our spirits and in our hearts that motivates us to have the attitudes we have, to make the decisions we make, and to perform the actions that we perform.
While we know that our motives will not be pure, we do ask that you would help us to grow today and every day a little bit more toward having motives that honor you and that respect others.
While we know that we will never eliminate our hypocrisy, we do ask that you would help us to grow today and every day a little bit more toward having integrity that causes our motives and actions to reflect one another honestly and consistently.
Amen.
We praise you, O God, for all that goes into making us human; while we thank you for our physical nature and for our biological instincts, we also thank you that there is more to us than that, even as we struggle at times to deal with our complicatedness.
Keep us aware of what drives us, of what lies in our spirits and in our hearts that motivates us to have the attitudes we have, to make the decisions we make, and to perform the actions that we perform.
While we know that our motives will not be pure, we do ask that you would help us to grow today and every day a little bit more toward having motives that honor you and that respect others.
While we know that we will never eliminate our hypocrisy, we do ask that you would help us to grow today and every day a little bit more toward having integrity that causes our motives and actions to reflect one another honestly and consistently.
Amen.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
A Prayer for Thursday, September 6, 2012
Self-Righteous
On the one hand, O Lord, you call us to righteousness; you call us to participate in the development of relationships with you and with other people that are always becoming more whole and sound. You call us to love you with all everything we are and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
And we believe that what you call us to be and do you empower us to be and do.
Thank you that we can grow in righteousness a little more each day.
On the other hand, O Lord, you do not call us to self-righteousness; you do not call us to believe that we have already become fully righteous, that we are already in completely whole relationships with you and with others.
And you certainly do not call us to believe that we have arrived at such a level of righteousness that we can regard ourselves as superior to anyone--or everyone-- else.
Help our righteousness to increase each day, O Lord, and cause our self-righteousness to decrease each day.
Amen.
On the one hand, O Lord, you call us to righteousness; you call us to participate in the development of relationships with you and with other people that are always becoming more whole and sound. You call us to love you with all everything we are and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
And we believe that what you call us to be and do you empower us to be and do.
Thank you that we can grow in righteousness a little more each day.
On the other hand, O Lord, you do not call us to self-righteousness; you do not call us to believe that we have already become fully righteous, that we are already in completely whole relationships with you and with others.
And you certainly do not call us to believe that we have arrived at such a level of righteousness that we can regard ourselves as superior to anyone--or everyone-- else.
Help our righteousness to increase each day, O Lord, and cause our self-righteousness to decrease each day.
Amen.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
A Prayer for Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Responsibilities
Lord,
Give us the insight to know what our responsibilities are, the desire to do our best to meet them, and the strength to fulfill them.
Keep us always aware that we have responsibilities to you, to ourselves, and to other people.
Amen.
Lord,
Give us the insight to know what our responsibilities are, the desire to do our best to meet them, and the strength to fulfill them.
Keep us always aware that we have responsibilities to you, to ourselves, and to other people.
Amen.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
A Prayer for Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Bread
Give us this day our daily bread, O God.
Thank you for the sustenance that we derive from the food we eat. Forgive us for our over-indulgence; help us to live simply and to have our eating habits reflect that simplicity. Make us mindful of those who have little to eat; help us to go out of our way to help them in whatever ways we can, but especially through the sharing of our abundance and through influencing decision makers to adopt and maintain policies and practices that will help them.
Give us this day the Bread of life, O God.
Thank you for Jesus Christ, the Bread of heaven, in whom we find the sustenance that gives us life in you. Forgive us on the one hand for our sometimes failure to partake adequately of that Bread through prayer, worship, service, and Communion; forgive us on the other hand for our sometimes hoarding of that Bread as if we are not called to share it with others. Make us mindful of those who do not have that Bread; help us to live our lives in ways that will show them that there is Bread available that will give them life.
Amen.
Give us this day our daily bread, O God.
Thank you for the sustenance that we derive from the food we eat. Forgive us for our over-indulgence; help us to live simply and to have our eating habits reflect that simplicity. Make us mindful of those who have little to eat; help us to go out of our way to help them in whatever ways we can, but especially through the sharing of our abundance and through influencing decision makers to adopt and maintain policies and practices that will help them.
Give us this day the Bread of life, O God.
Thank you for Jesus Christ, the Bread of heaven, in whom we find the sustenance that gives us life in you. Forgive us on the one hand for our sometimes failure to partake adequately of that Bread through prayer, worship, service, and Communion; forgive us on the other hand for our sometimes hoarding of that Bread as if we are not called to share it with others. Make us mindful of those who do not have that Bread; help us to live our lives in ways that will show them that there is Bread available that will give them life.
Amen.
Monday, September 3, 2012
A Prayer for Monday, September 3, 2012
Labor
On this Labor Day, O God, we thank you—
--for good and productive work,
--for vocation that matches our gifts with the world’s needs,
--for crusaders who led and lead in the improvement of work conditions,
--for companies in which management and labor are true partners, and
--for ways in which individuals, families, and communities benefit from our shared efforts.
On this Labor Day, we ask you—
--for grace and strength to do our best work,
--for awareness and acceptance of our true calling,
--for deliverance from oppression for those working in inhumane conditions,
--for improved cooperation between management and labor where it is needed, and
--for simultaneous embrace of both individual and corporate responsibility in our society.
Amen.
On this Labor Day, O God, we thank you—
--for good and productive work,
--for vocation that matches our gifts with the world’s needs,
--for crusaders who led and lead in the improvement of work conditions,
--for companies in which management and labor are true partners, and
--for ways in which individuals, families, and communities benefit from our shared efforts.
On this Labor Day, we ask you—
--for grace and strength to do our best work,
--for awareness and acceptance of our true calling,
--for deliverance from oppression for those working in inhumane conditions,
--for improved cooperation between management and labor where it is needed, and
--for simultaneous embrace of both individual and corporate responsibility in our society.
Amen.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
A Prayer for Sunday, September 2, 2012
The Lord’s Day
We will gather today as a community to worship you, O God, who have revealed yourself as a community of Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Form us in our local gatherings into a community that is becoming ever stronger in grace, in love, in purpose, and in unity.
Remind us that we are also part of the community that you are gathering all over the world; help us to grow in our awareness that there is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism—that there is one Church.
Amen.
We will gather today as a community to worship you, O God, who have revealed yourself as a community of Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Form us in our local gatherings into a community that is becoming ever stronger in grace, in love, in purpose, and in unity.
Remind us that we are also part of the community that you are gathering all over the world; help us to grow in our awareness that there is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism—that there is one Church.
Amen.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
A Prayer for Saturday, September 1, 2012
Vicariously
To live vicariously is imaginatively to experience something through someone else.
Football season may be the time of year when more Americans experience that kind of vicarious living than at any other time; we live and die through our favorite teams.
To live vicariously is also to go through something in place of or for the sake of someone else, not imaginatively but actually.
Remind us, O Lord, of the vicarious nature of your grace and love that led you actually to enter into our suffering and our death so as to help us to bear it and so as eventually to overcome it.
Empower us, O Lord, by your grace, love, and Spirit that are in us, to live vicarious lives in which we enter actually into the suffering of other people so as to help them bear it and to overcome it.
Amen.
To live vicariously is imaginatively to experience something through someone else.
Football season may be the time of year when more Americans experience that kind of vicarious living than at any other time; we live and die through our favorite teams.
To live vicariously is also to go through something in place of or for the sake of someone else, not imaginatively but actually.
Remind us, O Lord, of the vicarious nature of your grace and love that led you actually to enter into our suffering and our death so as to help us to bear it and so as eventually to overcome it.
Empower us, O Lord, by your grace, love, and Spirit that are in us, to live vicarious lives in which we enter actually into the suffering of other people so as to help them bear it and to overcome it.
Amen.
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