The Lord’s Day
O God,
Remind us as we worship you today
that our worship is rooted
in reality
rather than
in fantasy.
Remind us that we worship
the God that is
rather than
the God that we wish was,
that we worship
in our real life
rather than
in some idealized life,
and
that we worship
in the real world
rather than
in a perfect world.
As we worship you today,
remind us
that you are real,
that we are real,
and
that life is real.
As we worship you today,
help us to keep it real.
Then lead us to go
and
to live our real lives
in the real world
as worshipers
of the real God.
Amen.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Saturday, August 30, 2014
A Prayer for Saturday, August 30, 2014
Together
O God,
Thank you for those times
when it all seems to come together,
when it seems as if
all of our efforts,
all of our projects,
all of our preparation,
all of our relationships,
all of our accomplishments,
all of our successes,
all of our failures—indeed,
all of our living—
seems to come together
in a moment that
makes sense of it all
and
makes it worth it all.
Give us grace to have the insight
to recognize such moments when they happen.
Give us faith to keep on living and trying
in the meantime.
And thank you for that time
that is coming
when it will all come together
and
when it will all make sense
forever.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for those times
when it all seems to come together,
when it seems as if
all of our efforts,
all of our projects,
all of our preparation,
all of our relationships,
all of our accomplishments,
all of our successes,
all of our failures—indeed,
all of our living—
seems to come together
in a moment that
makes sense of it all
and
makes it worth it all.
Give us grace to have the insight
to recognize such moments when they happen.
Give us faith to keep on living and trying
in the meantime.
And thank you for that time
that is coming
when it will all come together
and
when it will all make sense
forever.
Amen.
Friday, August 29, 2014
A Prayer for Friday, August 29, 2014
Lift
Thank you for the privilege
of lifting our prayers up to you,
of lifting our praise up to you,
of lifting our problems up to you,
and
of lifting people up to you.
Thank you for lifting us up
when we fall down,
when we are struck down,
and
when we are pushed down.
As we live our lives today and every day,
help us to lift our eyes so that we see
the beauty of your creation,
the wonder of humanity,
and
the needs of the helpless and hurting.
As we encounter people today and every day,
inspire and empower us
to lift their spirits
and
to lift their hopes.
Amen.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
A Prayer for Thursday, August 28, 2014
Heart
O God,
Guard my heart against
the pride,
the selfishness,
the fear,
and
the anger
to which I am prone.
Grow my heart in
the love,
the grace,
the mercy,
and
the peace
that mark me as your child.
Guide my heart to
the perspectives,
the paths,
the people,
and
the lifestyle
that will best
honor you,
suit me,
and
help others.
Amen.
O God,
Guard my heart against
the pride,
the selfishness,
the fear,
and
the anger
to which I am prone.
Grow my heart in
the love,
the grace,
the mercy,
and
the peace
that mark me as your child.
Guide my heart to
the perspectives,
the paths,
the people,
and
the lifestyle
that will best
honor you,
suit me,
and
help others.
Amen.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
A Prayer for Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Talk
O God,
We will talk today.
Let our words come out of a heart that
is becoming filled with more and more
grace, love, kindness, and mercy.
Let our words be motivated
by a desire to build up and not to tear down,
by a commitment to speak the truth and
not to spread lies and rumors,
and
by humility that knows that we don’t know.
Let our words be evidence that
we are trying to do unto others
as we would have them do unto us.
Give us grace not to speak
about people or at people or to people
but rather to speak
with them that we might grow
in our relationship with one another
and to speak
for them when they are
weak and vulnerable and
cannot speak for themselves.
Let our words be
a pleasure to you,
a blessing to others,
and
a credit to us.
Amen.
O God,
We will talk today.
Let our words come out of a heart that
is becoming filled with more and more
grace, love, kindness, and mercy.
Let our words be motivated
by a desire to build up and not to tear down,
by a commitment to speak the truth and
not to spread lies and rumors,
and
by humility that knows that we don’t know.
Let our words be evidence that
we are trying to do unto others
as we would have them do unto us.
Give us grace not to speak
about people or at people or to people
but rather to speak
with them that we might grow
in our relationship with one another
and to speak
for them when they are
weak and vulnerable and
cannot speak for themselves.
Let our words be
a pleasure to you,
a blessing to others,
and
a credit to us.
Amen.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
A Prayer for Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Deep
O God,
Sometimes—too much of the time—our lives are a mile wide and an inch deep.
We are so busy and so harried and so distracted that we can’t—or at least don’t—take the time and make the effort to be still, to put our roots down deep, and to let ourselves be loved by you.
Show us where we can simplify our lives, where we can cut back on our activities, and how we can be still enough to know that we are known and loved by you.
Help us to move toward having lives that are a little less wide and a whole lot deeper.
Amen.
O God,
Sometimes—too much of the time—our lives are a mile wide and an inch deep.
We are so busy and so harried and so distracted that we can’t—or at least don’t—take the time and make the effort to be still, to put our roots down deep, and to let ourselves be loved by you.
Show us where we can simplify our lives, where we can cut back on our activities, and how we can be still enough to know that we are known and loved by you.
Help us to move toward having lives that are a little less wide and a whole lot deeper.
Amen.
Monday, August 25, 2014
A Prayer for Monday, August 25, 2014
Flexible
O God,
We have a schedule and we have our plans. Thank you for the ability we have to think ahead, to set goals, and to develop a plan to meet our goals.
But things happen. Unexpected events interrupt our schedule; crises interfere with our plans. Give us the ability and the willingness to adjust, to change, and to be flexible.
After all, the new thing that has cropped up unexpectedly just may be more important than the plans we have made …
Amen.
O God,
We have a schedule and we have our plans. Thank you for the ability we have to think ahead, to set goals, and to develop a plan to meet our goals.
But things happen. Unexpected events interrupt our schedule; crises interfere with our plans. Give us the ability and the willingness to adjust, to change, and to be flexible.
After all, the new thing that has cropped up unexpectedly just may be more important than the plans we have made …
Amen.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
A Prayer for Sunday, August 24, 2014
The Lord’s Day
O God,
Thank you for the privilege we have
to worship you on Sunday,
on the day of the week on which
your Son Jesus was raised from the dead.
As we worship you today for
your great saving act of
raising Jesus from the dead,
remind us that we have been
raised to walk in newness of life
and
that we will one day be raised
from our graves.
Help us to remember that
since you raised Jesus
from the dead,
since you have raised us
walk in newness of life,
and
since you will one day raise us
from our graves,
you certainly can raise us
from
those troubles and threats that
feel like death to us.
Lead us today truly to celebrate
your resurrection power.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for the privilege we have
to worship you on Sunday,
on the day of the week on which
your Son Jesus was raised from the dead.
As we worship you today for
your great saving act of
raising Jesus from the dead,
remind us that we have been
raised to walk in newness of life
and
that we will one day be raised
from our graves.
Help us to remember that
since you raised Jesus
from the dead,
since you have raised us
walk in newness of life,
and
since you will one day raise us
from our graves,
you certainly can raise us
from
those troubles and threats that
feel like death to us.
Lead us today truly to celebrate
your resurrection power.
Amen.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
A Prayer for Saturday, August 23, 2014
Are
O God,
Help us to know
ourselves as we really are,
situations as they really are,
and
you as you really are.
Help us to grow
in faith,
in grace,
in wisdom,
and
in insight
that we might grow
in the ability
and
the willingness
to see
and
to accept
things as they really are.
Help us to grow past
our delusions,
our prejudices,
our biases,
and
our blind spots.
Give us
clear vision,
broad minds,
and
big hearts …
Amen.
O God,
Help us to know
ourselves as we really are,
situations as they really are,
and
you as you really are.
Help us to grow
in faith,
in grace,
in wisdom,
and
in insight
that we might grow
in the ability
and
the willingness
to see
and
to accept
things as they really are.
Help us to grow past
our delusions,
our prejudices,
our biases,
and
our blind spots.
Give us
clear vision,
broad minds,
and
big hearts …
Amen.
Friday, August 22, 2014
A Prayer for Friday, August 22, 2014
Cruelty
O God,
There is so much cruelty in this world; so many people are willing and even eager to hurt other people.
What is in their hearts that makes them so cruel? Is it selfishness? Is it greed? Is it pride? Is it anger? Is it fear? Is it woundedness? Is it illness? Is it depravity? Is it frustration? Is it injustice? Perhaps it varies from person to person. Perhaps in some cases they don’t even know. Help them to turn to you and to those whom you can use to help them. Lead them to repent and to allow you to change their hearts so that their actions can also change.
Guard us against judgmentalism and self-righteousness. Remind us that some of the same states and conditions that produce cruelty in others are present in us as well. Even as we thank you for delivering us from such evil, keep us from thinking that such deliverance somehow makes us better. Keep us aware that lingering corruptness in our hearts can show itself in ugly ways in our lives.
We recognize that sometimes in this imperfect world those who perpetuate acts of cruelty must be confronted and stopped for the sake of those who are being harmed and who would be harmed if such cruelty is allowed to proceed unchecked. When such a response is necessary, don’t let it be motivated by the same conditions and motives that motivated the cruelty that we confront. Let it be motivated by love for all people, by a desire to seek real justice, and by compassion for those being hurt.
This world puts your children in a tough position, O God. We want to be peacemakers, we want to turn the other cheek, we want to give ourselves up for others, we want to overcome evil with good, we want to confront hate with love, we want to demonstrate compassion to all, and we want to practice radical forgiveness. But we also want to defend the defenseless, to heal the broken, to rescue the perishing, to protect the innocent, and to help the helpless.
When the defenseless, the broken, the perishing, the innocent, and the helpless are being attacked and oppressed by people using force, it is difficult to find any effective way to confront them except with force.
So as we do what we have to do to help those who are being killed and injured and persecuted, please—please—give us sound motives and just practices. Don’t let us confront cruelty with cruelty.
Help us also to see behind and beyond the moment—behind it so that we can acknowledge any responsibility and culpability that we might have for the situations that have developed and beyond it so that we can move toward efforts at understanding and reconciliation.
Cause us to remember that the long-term solutions can never be based on force but must be based on mutual acceptance and respect.
Help us to get there, O God. Please help us to get there.
And as we travel this tough and treacherous road to get there, please—please—guard our hearts.
Amen.
O God,
There is so much cruelty in this world; so many people are willing and even eager to hurt other people.
What is in their hearts that makes them so cruel? Is it selfishness? Is it greed? Is it pride? Is it anger? Is it fear? Is it woundedness? Is it illness? Is it depravity? Is it frustration? Is it injustice? Perhaps it varies from person to person. Perhaps in some cases they don’t even know. Help them to turn to you and to those whom you can use to help them. Lead them to repent and to allow you to change their hearts so that their actions can also change.
Guard us against judgmentalism and self-righteousness. Remind us that some of the same states and conditions that produce cruelty in others are present in us as well. Even as we thank you for delivering us from such evil, keep us from thinking that such deliverance somehow makes us better. Keep us aware that lingering corruptness in our hearts can show itself in ugly ways in our lives.
We recognize that sometimes in this imperfect world those who perpetuate acts of cruelty must be confronted and stopped for the sake of those who are being harmed and who would be harmed if such cruelty is allowed to proceed unchecked. When such a response is necessary, don’t let it be motivated by the same conditions and motives that motivated the cruelty that we confront. Let it be motivated by love for all people, by a desire to seek real justice, and by compassion for those being hurt.
This world puts your children in a tough position, O God. We want to be peacemakers, we want to turn the other cheek, we want to give ourselves up for others, we want to overcome evil with good, we want to confront hate with love, we want to demonstrate compassion to all, and we want to practice radical forgiveness. But we also want to defend the defenseless, to heal the broken, to rescue the perishing, to protect the innocent, and to help the helpless.
When the defenseless, the broken, the perishing, the innocent, and the helpless are being attacked and oppressed by people using force, it is difficult to find any effective way to confront them except with force.
So as we do what we have to do to help those who are being killed and injured and persecuted, please—please—give us sound motives and just practices. Don’t let us confront cruelty with cruelty.
Help us also to see behind and beyond the moment—behind it so that we can acknowledge any responsibility and culpability that we might have for the situations that have developed and beyond it so that we can move toward efforts at understanding and reconciliation.
Cause us to remember that the long-term solutions can never be based on force but must be based on mutual acceptance and respect.
Help us to get there, O God. Please help us to get there.
And as we travel this tough and treacherous road to get there, please—please—guard our hearts.
Amen.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
A Prayer for Thursday, August 21, 2014
Grateful
O God,
Give us grace to be grateful
for all the ways that you have
blessed us by your grace.
Give us grace to be grateful
in ways that show that we understand
just how gracious your grace is.
We need your help to show gratitude
in the right way because given the way we are,
it is possible for us to be grateful for your grace
even while harboring and even nurturing
the attitude that somehow we deserve it.
It is possible that when we say we are grateful
for your grace we really mean that we are grateful
that we are not like those sinners who
don’t merit your grace like we do.
It is possible that our supposedly humble
expressions of gratitude for your grace
mask a heart that is filled with pride.
So thank you for your grace.
Give us grace to know
just how gracious your grace is.
Give us grace to know
that deserving has nothing to do with it.
Amen.
O God,
Give us grace to be grateful
for all the ways that you have
blessed us by your grace.
Give us grace to be grateful
in ways that show that we understand
just how gracious your grace is.
We need your help to show gratitude
in the right way because given the way we are,
it is possible for us to be grateful for your grace
even while harboring and even nurturing
the attitude that somehow we deserve it.
It is possible that when we say we are grateful
for your grace we really mean that we are grateful
that we are not like those sinners who
don’t merit your grace like we do.
It is possible that our supposedly humble
expressions of gratitude for your grace
mask a heart that is filled with pride.
So thank you for your grace.
Give us grace to know
just how gracious your grace is.
Give us grace to know
that deserving has nothing to do with it.
Amen.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
A Prayer for Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Differences
O God,
Thank you for the differences that exist
between person and person and
between people and people.
Thank you for the great variety that exists
in skin tone,
in language,
in accent,
in ethnicity,
in religion,
in nationality,
in social background,
in lifestyle,
in philosophy,
and
in perspective.
Forgive us for allowing our differences
to become divisions;
forgive us for letting the fact of our differences
become a justification for conflict.
Help us to embrace the differences
that should be embraced
and to celebrate the differences
that should be celebrated.
Help us to overcome the divisions
that should be overcome
and to heal the divisions
that should be healed.
In too many cases we have
put a thin layer of veneer
over gaping cracks so that
when just a little pressure is applied
the cracks open up again and
when a lot of pressure is applied
the cracks become much wider.
Show us how to go beyond applying veneer;
show us how to do something about the cracks.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for the differences that exist
between person and person and
between people and people.
Thank you for the great variety that exists
in skin tone,
in language,
in accent,
in ethnicity,
in religion,
in nationality,
in social background,
in lifestyle,
in philosophy,
and
in perspective.
Forgive us for allowing our differences
to become divisions;
forgive us for letting the fact of our differences
become a justification for conflict.
Help us to embrace the differences
that should be embraced
and to celebrate the differences
that should be celebrated.
Help us to overcome the divisions
that should be overcome
and to heal the divisions
that should be healed.
In too many cases we have
put a thin layer of veneer
over gaping cracks so that
when just a little pressure is applied
the cracks open up again and
when a lot of pressure is applied
the cracks become much wider.
Show us how to go beyond applying veneer;
show us how to do something about the cracks.
Amen.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
A Prayer for Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Ferguson
O God,
We don’t have to tell you that the city of Ferguson, Missouri is coming apart at the seams.
Please give the people there peace with justice and justice with peace.
Please cool the passion and lessen the tension in that community.
Please protect those who are making a good faith effort to restore order.
When the immediate crisis has passed, give the community leaders the wisdom to do the hard work of trying to address the problems and issues that had been lying beneath the service awaiting the event that would cause them to erupt.
Please help the family of Michael Brown.
Please help police officer Darren Wilson and his family.
Forgive those who are using this crisis to gain profit for themselves, be it in obvious ways such as looting or in more subtle ways such as promoting some agenda. Help them to turn away from their sins and to become a part of the solution rather than a part of the problem.
Remind us that our town could be the next Ferguson. Give us the courage and strength to look hard at our own community’s situation in order to identify the underlying issues and tensions that could, given the right spark, erupt into violence and chaos. Give us the grace and wisdom to work together to try to find solutions and then to take actions to implement those solutions.
Help us to see things from the perspective of others.
Help us to pray, talk, serve, and work together to make things better.
Help us to develop relationships of such quality that when a crisis arises in our community our immediate response will be to work together to make things better rather than to work separately to make things worse.
Bless the community of Ferguson.
Bless the community where we live.
Amen.
O God,
We don’t have to tell you that the city of Ferguson, Missouri is coming apart at the seams.
Please give the people there peace with justice and justice with peace.
Please cool the passion and lessen the tension in that community.
Please protect those who are making a good faith effort to restore order.
When the immediate crisis has passed, give the community leaders the wisdom to do the hard work of trying to address the problems and issues that had been lying beneath the service awaiting the event that would cause them to erupt.
Please help the family of Michael Brown.
Please help police officer Darren Wilson and his family.
Forgive those who are using this crisis to gain profit for themselves, be it in obvious ways such as looting or in more subtle ways such as promoting some agenda. Help them to turn away from their sins and to become a part of the solution rather than a part of the problem.
Remind us that our town could be the next Ferguson. Give us the courage and strength to look hard at our own community’s situation in order to identify the underlying issues and tensions that could, given the right spark, erupt into violence and chaos. Give us the grace and wisdom to work together to try to find solutions and then to take actions to implement those solutions.
Help us to see things from the perspective of others.
Help us to pray, talk, serve, and work together to make things better.
Help us to develop relationships of such quality that when a crisis arises in our community our immediate response will be to work together to make things better rather than to work separately to make things worse.
Bless the community of Ferguson.
Bless the community where we live.
Amen.
Monday, August 18, 2014
A Prayer for Monday, August 18, 2014
People
O God,
We will encounter lots of people this week.
As we do, help us to remember that
people are frail,
people are fallible,
people are complicated,
and
people are often unaware of
just how frail, fallible, and complicated
they are.
Help us to remember that
people can be noble and petty,
people can be generous and selfish,
people can be loving and apathetic,
and
people can be forgiving and vengeful—
sometimes all at the same time.
Help us to remember that
we are people, too.
And help us to remember that
we are all—every last one of us—
loved by you.
As we encounter people this week
and as they encounter us,
help us to be empathetic with
and kind to one another.
You know that they and we need it …
Amen.
O God,
We will encounter lots of people this week.
As we do, help us to remember that
people are frail,
people are fallible,
people are complicated,
and
people are often unaware of
just how frail, fallible, and complicated
they are.
Help us to remember that
people can be noble and petty,
people can be generous and selfish,
people can be loving and apathetic,
and
people can be forgiving and vengeful—
sometimes all at the same time.
Help us to remember that
we are people, too.
And help us to remember that
we are all—every last one of us—
loved by you.
As we encounter people this week
and as they encounter us,
help us to be empathetic with
and kind to one another.
You know that they and we need it …
Amen.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
A Prayer for Sunday, August 17, 2014
The Lord’s Day
O God,
Today we will gather
as the body of Christ,
as the family of faith,
and
as the community of the Spirit
to worship you.
Even as we focus our worship
on you and you alone,
help us to grow toward truly being
a body,
a family,
and
a community.
Help us to become
a stronger body,
a stronger family,
and
a stronger community
as we grow in
our willingness and even eagerness
to embrace our sameness and our diversity,
to accept our agreements and disagreements,
and
to celebrate our individuality and our commonality.
Amen.
O God,
Today we will gather
as the body of Christ,
as the family of faith,
and
as the community of the Spirit
to worship you.
Even as we focus our worship
on you and you alone,
help us to grow toward truly being
a body,
a family,
and
a community.
Help us to become
a stronger body,
a stronger family,
and
a stronger community
as we grow in
our willingness and even eagerness
to embrace our sameness and our diversity,
to accept our agreements and disagreements,
and
to celebrate our individuality and our commonality.
Amen.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
A Prayer for Saturday, August 16, 2014
With
O God,
Thank you that
you love us enough to
be with us.
Thank you that
you came to
be with us
in Jesus Christ our Lord
and
that you continue to
be with us
in your Holy Spirit.
Thank you that as you
make your home with us
you bind us together as
one great family
in one great home.
We want to love you
so much that we want to
be with you;
we want to love you
so much that we want to
be with you
for all eternity
starting with every moment
here and now.
We want to love you
so much that we want to
be with each other;
we want to love each other
so much that we are willing to
give ourselves up
for each other.
Thank you that
you are with us
and that
you call us to
be with you
and
to be with each other.
Let our lives reflect
the great community
of which we are
all members.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you that
you love us enough to
be with us.
Thank you that
you came to
be with us
in Jesus Christ our Lord
and
that you continue to
be with us
in your Holy Spirit.
Thank you that as you
make your home with us
you bind us together as
one great family
in one great home.
We want to love you
so much that we want to
be with you;
we want to love you
so much that we want to
be with you
for all eternity
starting with every moment
here and now.
We want to love you
so much that we want to
be with each other;
we want to love each other
so much that we are willing to
give ourselves up
for each other.
Thank you that
you are with us
and that
you call us to
be with you
and
to be with each other.
Let our lives reflect
the great community
of which we are
all members.
Amen.
Friday, August 15, 2014
A Prayer for Friday, August 15, 2014
Simple
O God,
In the midst of this complex world and complex life,
show us how to keep things simple.
Help us to have, to maintain, and to develop
simple wants that we might be grateful for what we have,
simple trust that we might depend on you alone,
simple expectations that we might look forward to what tomorrow will bring,
a simple lifestyle that we might not be distracted by many things,
and
a simple love that we might do what we can when we can.
Thank you
for hearing this simple prayer
and
for answering this simple request.
Amen.
O God,
In the midst of this complex world and complex life,
show us how to keep things simple.
Help us to have, to maintain, and to develop
simple wants that we might be grateful for what we have,
simple trust that we might depend on you alone,
simple expectations that we might look forward to what tomorrow will bring,
a simple lifestyle that we might not be distracted by many things,
and
a simple love that we might do what we can when we can.
Thank you
for hearing this simple prayer
and
for answering this simple request.
Amen.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
A Prayer for Thursday, August 14, 2014
Complex
O God,
Help us to remember that no one is simple and that no event is simple.
Help us to remember that everyone is complex and that every event is complex.
Remind us that within every person is a genetic history, a family history, a social history, a psychological history, and a spiritual history, all of which come together to form that person, regardless of whether he or she is conscious of that history.
Remind us that behind every event is a political history, an economic history, a social history, a psychological history, and a spiritual history, all of which come together to instigate that event, regardless of whether the participants in the event are conscious of that history.
Remind us that as we deal with people and respond to events we are doing so out of our own history as well; we are as complex as anyone and anything else. So help us to perceive and to understand our own history.
As we deal with people and events, give us a sensitivity to history and an understanding of the forces that drive us and that help to determine our perspectives, our motives, our decisions, our responses, and our actions.
As we deal with people and events, give us wise minds, understanding hearts, and compassionate spirits.
Amen.
O God,
Help us to remember that no one is simple and that no event is simple.
Help us to remember that everyone is complex and that every event is complex.
Remind us that within every person is a genetic history, a family history, a social history, a psychological history, and a spiritual history, all of which come together to form that person, regardless of whether he or she is conscious of that history.
Remind us that behind every event is a political history, an economic history, a social history, a psychological history, and a spiritual history, all of which come together to instigate that event, regardless of whether the participants in the event are conscious of that history.
Remind us that as we deal with people and respond to events we are doing so out of our own history as well; we are as complex as anyone and anything else. So help us to perceive and to understand our own history.
As we deal with people and events, give us a sensitivity to history and an understanding of the forces that drive us and that help to determine our perspectives, our motives, our decisions, our responses, and our actions.
As we deal with people and events, give us wise minds, understanding hearts, and compassionate spirits.
Amen.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
A Prayer for Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Glad
O God,
Some days we feel glad;
thank you for those days.
Some days we feel glad
because someone has gotten better,
because someone has made it home,
because we have had some success,
because someone has received good news,
because an important project has been completed,
because a crisis has been successfully navigated,
because we get to do something we enjoy,
because it dawns on us how blessed we are,
or
because we catch a glimpse of how
everything just might possibly fit together.
We tend, though to pass quickly
through our gladness and
back into resignation
or frustration
or consternation
or whatever state
usually characterizes our daily living.
Give us a gladness that endures;
give us a gladness that is based
in our relationship with you and
not in our circumstances;
give us a gladness that persists at our center
rather than one that flits about our edges;
give us a gladness that is grounded in the eternal
rather than in the temporal but that
nonetheless enlivens our daily lives;
give us a gladness that is a little bit
of heaven on earth.
When we feel glad,
help us to live into our gladness,
to experience it fully,
and
to remember it well.
Amen.
O God,
Some days we feel glad;
thank you for those days.
Some days we feel glad
because someone has gotten better,
because someone has made it home,
because we have had some success,
because someone has received good news,
because an important project has been completed,
because a crisis has been successfully navigated,
because we get to do something we enjoy,
because it dawns on us how blessed we are,
or
because we catch a glimpse of how
everything just might possibly fit together.
We tend, though to pass quickly
through our gladness and
back into resignation
or frustration
or consternation
or whatever state
usually characterizes our daily living.
Give us a gladness that endures;
give us a gladness that is based
in our relationship with you and
not in our circumstances;
give us a gladness that persists at our center
rather than one that flits about our edges;
give us a gladness that is grounded in the eternal
rather than in the temporal but that
nonetheless enlivens our daily lives;
give us a gladness that is a little bit
of heaven on earth.
When we feel glad,
help us to live into our gladness,
to experience it fully,
and
to remember it well.
Amen.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
A Prayer for Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Sad
O God,
There are days when everything is not all right;
there are days when everything is not coming up roses;
there are days when we are sad.
Maybe we are sad because someone has died;
maybe we are sad because someone has left;
maybe we are said because someone is sick;
maybe we are sad because someone has disappointed;
maybe we are sad because we have failed;
maybe we are sad because so many people are hurting;
maybe we are sad because of what so many children are going through;
maybe we are sad because war is so prevalent and accepted and desired;
maybe we are sad because people are hungry or homeless or impoverished;
maybe we are sad because so many people don’t care;
maybe we are sad because the world seems so sad.
Sometimes we should be sad;
sometimes sadness is the only appropriate response;
sometimes the only way to be human is to be sad;
sometimes to deny our sadness is to deny the truth;
sometimes to flee from sadness is to flee from life;
sometimes to deny sadness is to deny ourselves.
So help us to allow ourselves to be sad if we need to be sad;
help us to live into our sadness if that is what it takes to live honestly;
help us to accept our sadness as a gift that teaches us of our humanity;
help us to experience sadness as solidarity with others who are sad;
help us to learn from our sadness of your sadness.
Remind us that while
joy comes in the morning,
it’s not morning all the time—
and we don’t have to pretend that it is.
Amen.
O God,
There are days when everything is not all right;
there are days when everything is not coming up roses;
there are days when we are sad.
Maybe we are sad because someone has died;
maybe we are sad because someone has left;
maybe we are said because someone is sick;
maybe we are sad because someone has disappointed;
maybe we are sad because we have failed;
maybe we are sad because so many people are hurting;
maybe we are sad because of what so many children are going through;
maybe we are sad because war is so prevalent and accepted and desired;
maybe we are sad because people are hungry or homeless or impoverished;
maybe we are sad because so many people don’t care;
maybe we are sad because the world seems so sad.
Sometimes we should be sad;
sometimes sadness is the only appropriate response;
sometimes the only way to be human is to be sad;
sometimes to deny our sadness is to deny the truth;
sometimes to flee from sadness is to flee from life;
sometimes to deny sadness is to deny ourselves.
So help us to allow ourselves to be sad if we need to be sad;
help us to live into our sadness if that is what it takes to live honestly;
help us to accept our sadness as a gift that teaches us of our humanity;
help us to experience sadness as solidarity with others who are sad;
help us to learn from our sadness of your sadness.
Remind us that while
joy comes in the morning,
it’s not morning all the time—
and we don’t have to pretend that it is.
Amen.
Monday, August 11, 2014
A Prayer for Monday, August 11, 2014
To Do
O God,
On most Mondays, the “to do” list is long: during the coming week we have many tasks that need to be done, many goals that need to be met, and many people that need to be seen.
At a deeper level, we have much grace that needs to be received, much mercy that needs to be extended, and much love that needs to be shared.
As we go about doing the mundane things that need to be done, let our accomplishment of them be empowered by your constant commitment to us and by our constant commitment to you and to each other.
Help us to live in this week and in all weeks so that it is evident that our “to do” list really has only two items on it:
1. To love the Lord our God with everything we are
and
2. To love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Amen.
O God,
On most Mondays, the “to do” list is long: during the coming week we have many tasks that need to be done, many goals that need to be met, and many people that need to be seen.
At a deeper level, we have much grace that needs to be received, much mercy that needs to be extended, and much love that needs to be shared.
As we go about doing the mundane things that need to be done, let our accomplishment of them be empowered by your constant commitment to us and by our constant commitment to you and to each other.
Help us to live in this week and in all weeks so that it is evident that our “to do” list really has only two items on it:
1. To love the Lord our God with everything we are
and
2. To love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Amen.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
A Prayer for Sunday, August 10, 2014
The Lord’s Day
O God,
As we come into your presence in worship today,
remind us that we are always in your presence and
that we will always be in your presence.
Let our worship of you today
be a celebration of the way
things are all the time.
Let our worship of you today
be an anticipation of the way
things will be for all time.
As we come into your presence in worship today,
remind us that we are always in your presence and
that we will always be in your presence.
Amen.
O God,
As we come into your presence in worship today,
remind us that we are always in your presence and
that we will always be in your presence.
Let our worship of you today
be a celebration of the way
things are all the time.
Let our worship of you today
be an anticipation of the way
things will be for all time.
As we come into your presence in worship today,
remind us that we are always in your presence and
that we will always be in your presence.
Amen.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
A Prayer for Saturday, August 9, 2014
The Victims of ISIL
O God,
Please help those people who are being persecuted and slaughtered by ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq & the Levant) fighters in Iraq.
Please help the Chaldean Catholic Christians, the Shi’ite Muslims, the Kurdish Zoroastrian Yazidis, the eclectic Shabaks, and the Shi’ite Turkmen, all of whom are being targeted by ISIL.
Please help the leaders of our nation, of other nations, of the United Nations, and of the Arab League to take the right steps to help protect all of these persecuted Iraqi minorities.
Please show us how to do what we can do to help.
We would very much like to be able to thank you that we are not sinners like the people of ISIL; we would like to thank you that we are not so convinced of our narrow view of the world, of you, of ourselves, and of religion that we regard those who disagree with us, whose religion is different than ours, or whose ethnicity differs from ours as the enemy.
Instead, as we refuse to look up to heaven, we beat our breasts and pray, “God, be merciful to us, for we are sinners, too.”
Amen.
Source
O God,
Please help those people who are being persecuted and slaughtered by ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq & the Levant) fighters in Iraq.
Please help the Chaldean Catholic Christians, the Shi’ite Muslims, the Kurdish Zoroastrian Yazidis, the eclectic Shabaks, and the Shi’ite Turkmen, all of whom are being targeted by ISIL.
Please help the leaders of our nation, of other nations, of the United Nations, and of the Arab League to take the right steps to help protect all of these persecuted Iraqi minorities.
Please show us how to do what we can do to help.
We would very much like to be able to thank you that we are not sinners like the people of ISIL; we would like to thank you that we are not so convinced of our narrow view of the world, of you, of ourselves, and of religion that we regard those who disagree with us, whose religion is different than ours, or whose ethnicity differs from ours as the enemy.
Instead, as we refuse to look up to heaven, we beat our breasts and pray, “God, be merciful to us, for we are sinners, too.”
Amen.
Source
Friday, August 8, 2014
A Prayer for Friday, August 8, 2014
Judging
O God,
Give us grace not to judge other people.
When we do, forgive us.
When we do, make us mindful that often what we judge most harshly in someone else is that of which we ourselves are guilty or is something that we fear is in us.
When we do, make us mindful that sometimes when we assume someone else is manipulative or self-centered or prideful it is because we are those ways and so we figure others are, too.
Give us grace not to judge other people.
But when we do, help us to realize that we are most likely judging ourselves.
Amen.
O God,
Give us grace not to judge other people.
When we do, forgive us.
When we do, make us mindful that often what we judge most harshly in someone else is that of which we ourselves are guilty or is something that we fear is in us.
When we do, make us mindful that sometimes when we assume someone else is manipulative or self-centered or prideful it is because we are those ways and so we figure others are, too.
Give us grace not to judge other people.
But when we do, help us to realize that we are most likely judging ourselves.
Amen.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
A Prayer for Thursday, August 7, 2014
Ahead
O God,
Let
our hope stay one step ahead of our fear,
our trust stay one step ahead of our doubt,
our selflessness stay one step ahead of our selfishness,
our compassion stay one step ahead of our apathy,
our wholeness stay one step ahead of our brokenness,
our obedience stay one step ahead of our disobedience,
our forgiveness stay one step ahead of our grudges,
our giving stay one step ahead of our keeping,
our humility stay one step ahead of our pride,
our love of others stay one step ahead of our love for ourselves,
and
our love for you stay one step ahead of everything else.
Amen.
O God,
Let
our hope stay one step ahead of our fear,
our trust stay one step ahead of our doubt,
our selflessness stay one step ahead of our selfishness,
our compassion stay one step ahead of our apathy,
our wholeness stay one step ahead of our brokenness,
our obedience stay one step ahead of our disobedience,
our forgiveness stay one step ahead of our grudges,
our giving stay one step ahead of our keeping,
our humility stay one step ahead of our pride,
our love of others stay one step ahead of our love for ourselves,
and
our love for you stay one step ahead of everything else.
Amen.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
A Prayer for Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Communities
O God,
Help us to be good members of
the communities to which we belong.
Give us
hearts that are full of love,
minds that are working on solutions,
and
hands that are given to service.
Help us to be good members of
our local community,
our national community,
our world community,
and
our Church community,
both the local church
and
the Church universal.
Thank you for the communities
of which we are a part.
Lead us to give of ourselves
for their good.
Amen.
O God,
Help us to be good members of
the communities to which we belong.
Give us
hearts that are full of love,
minds that are working on solutions,
and
hands that are given to service.
Help us to be good members of
our local community,
our national community,
our world community,
and
our Church community,
both the local church
and
the Church universal.
Thank you for the communities
of which we are a part.
Lead us to give of ourselves
for their good.
Amen.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
A Prayer for Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Childish/Child-like
O God,
Sometimes we act like children;
sometimes such behavior is a bad thing
and
sometimes it’s a good thing.
Forgive us for when we behave childishly.
Forgive us
for thinking only of our own needs,
for crying when we don’t get our way,
for believing the world revolves around us,
or
for making fun of people who are different.
Help us to behave in a more child-like manner.
Help us
to trust you with a child-like trust,
to admire you with a child-like admiration,
to depend on you with a child-like dependency,
and
to obey you with a child-like obedience.
As we mature
in our faith, let us
move beyond
childish ways
and
grow in
child-like faith.
Amen.
O God,
Sometimes we act like children;
sometimes such behavior is a bad thing
and
sometimes it’s a good thing.
Forgive us for when we behave childishly.
Forgive us
for thinking only of our own needs,
for crying when we don’t get our way,
for believing the world revolves around us,
or
for making fun of people who are different.
Help us to behave in a more child-like manner.
Help us
to trust you with a child-like trust,
to admire you with a child-like admiration,
to depend on you with a child-like dependency,
and
to obey you with a child-like obedience.
As we mature
in our faith, let us
move beyond
childish ways
and
grow in
child-like faith.
Amen.
Monday, August 4, 2014
A Prayer for Monday, August 4, 2014
Thanks
O God,
There is so much
that we need or
that we think we need.
Thank you that we can
bring our needs
before you in prayer.
Give us grace to thank you for
all that you have done
before we start
asking you to do more.
Give us grace to remember
all that you have done
so that we do not fear
that you will not do more.
Give us grace to
demonstrate gratitude for
all that you have done
by doing what we can
to help others.
Give us grace to thank you for
all that you do not do and
to trust that it was best
that you didn’t.
Amen.
O God,
There is so much
that we need or
that we think we need.
Thank you that we can
bring our needs
before you in prayer.
Give us grace to thank you for
all that you have done
before we start
asking you to do more.
Give us grace to remember
all that you have done
so that we do not fear
that you will not do more.
Give us grace to
demonstrate gratitude for
all that you have done
by doing what we can
to help others.
Give us grace to thank you for
all that you do not do and
to trust that it was best
that you didn’t.
Amen.
Sunday, August 3, 2014
A Prayer for Sunday, August 3, 2014
The Lord’s Day
O God,
We say that we are going to your house to worship you, but to call the building where the church meets “the house of the Lord” is dangerous if we let ourselves think that it is the only place where you are.
So as we go to the house of the Lord to worship you today, remind us that there is no place we can go where you do not dwell.
Especially remind us that you make your home with us, right here in our hearts and right here in our lives; especially remind us that we are your house.
Show us how to make you welcome in your own home.
Amen.
O God,
We say that we are going to your house to worship you, but to call the building where the church meets “the house of the Lord” is dangerous if we let ourselves think that it is the only place where you are.
So as we go to the house of the Lord to worship you today, remind us that there is no place we can go where you do not dwell.
Especially remind us that you make your home with us, right here in our hearts and right here in our lives; especially remind us that we are your house.
Show us how to make you welcome in your own home.
Amen.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
A Prayer for Saturday, August 2, 2014
End
O God,
Here at the end of the week we can look back and evaluate how well we used our time. Did we make good use of the life that was ours to live during the week?
Did we work well?
Did we contribute well?
Did we help well?
Did we serve well?
Did we share well?
Did we trust well?
Did we love well?
Thank you for how looking back over our week gets us ready to look back over our life when we come to its end.
Help us to make progress every week in the ability to answer “Yes” to those questions so that when we come to the end of our life on earth we will be able to do the same.
Amen.
O God,
Here at the end of the week we can look back and evaluate how well we used our time. Did we make good use of the life that was ours to live during the week?
Did we work well?
Did we contribute well?
Did we help well?
Did we serve well?
Did we share well?
Did we trust well?
Did we love well?
Thank you for how looking back over our week gets us ready to look back over our life when we come to its end.
Help us to make progress every week in the ability to answer “Yes” to those questions so that when we come to the end of our life on earth we will be able to do the same.
Amen.
Friday, August 1, 2014
A Prayer for Friday, August 1, 2014
Chances
O God,
How many chances will we have today?
How many chances will we have
to help someone,
to forgive someone,
to encourage someone,
to touch someone,
and
to love someone?
How many chances will we take today?
How many chances will we take
to give generously,
to forgive radically,
to accept willingly,
to live boldly,
and
to love extravagantly?
Make us alert to
the chances we
have to do good;
make us willing to
take chances for the sake
of loving you
and
loving others.
Amen.
O God,
How many chances will we have today?
How many chances will we have
to help someone,
to forgive someone,
to encourage someone,
to touch someone,
and
to love someone?
How many chances will we take today?
How many chances will we take
to give generously,
to forgive radically,
to accept willingly,
to live boldly,
and
to love extravagantly?
Make us alert to
the chances we
have to do good;
make us willing to
take chances for the sake
of loving you
and
loving others.
Amen.
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