People (Part Six)
O God,
Thank you for people.
Thank you for the relationships
we have with some and for the
connections we have with all.
Thank you for the people
who are strangers to us.
Some of those strangers are
on the other side of town.
Some of them are on the
other side of the world.
It’s hard to understand
the people we know.
It’s even harder to understand
the people we don’t know.
Keep us from categorizing
and stereotyping people.
Keep us from thinking that
everybody should be like we are.
Help us to remember that we
are connected with every
other person in the world.
Help us to live in light of the fact that,
because of advances in technology, travel,
and communication, the world is getting smaller.
Help us to grow in the realization
that we are all in this together.
Show us how to develop a better
understanding of each other and to
build better cooperation with each other.
Give us
grace that we might accept each other,
love that we might help each other, and
hope that we might work with each other.
Amen.
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Friday, October 30, 2015
A Prayer for Friday, October 30, 2015
People (Part Five)
O God,
Thank you for people.
Thank you for the relationships
we have with some and for the
connections we have with all.
Thank you for the people
who are our enemies.
That’s a strange thing to say
and a hard prayer to pray.
But God, we need to remember
that our enemies are people, too.
They have their experiences
and their perspectives.
They have their reasons,
which seem good to them.
They are your creation and
your children. You love them.
You call us to love them.
So thank you for them.
Thank you for the opportunity
they provide us to find out just
how well we are following you.
After all, you told us to love
them and to pray for them.
Help us to grow toward doing so because
our hearts are so filled with your love
and grace that we can’t help ourselves.
In the meantime, help us to pray for them and
to try to love them because you told us to.
Help us to be obedient
until we can be gracious.
If we have harmed them, forgive us.
If we are partly or wholly responsible for
the enmity between us, forgive us.
Help us to forgive them for
the hurts they have inflicted on us.
Bless our enemies, O God.
Bless us as we try to bless them.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for people.
Thank you for the relationships
we have with some and for the
connections we have with all.
Thank you for the people
who are our enemies.
That’s a strange thing to say
and a hard prayer to pray.
But God, we need to remember
that our enemies are people, too.
They have their experiences
and their perspectives.
They have their reasons,
which seem good to them.
They are your creation and
your children. You love them.
You call us to love them.
So thank you for them.
Thank you for the opportunity
they provide us to find out just
how well we are following you.
After all, you told us to love
them and to pray for them.
Help us to grow toward doing so because
our hearts are so filled with your love
and grace that we can’t help ourselves.
In the meantime, help us to pray for them and
to try to love them because you told us to.
Help us to be obedient
until we can be gracious.
If we have harmed them, forgive us.
If we are partly or wholly responsible for
the enmity between us, forgive us.
Help us to forgive them for
the hurts they have inflicted on us.
Bless our enemies, O God.
Bless us as we try to bless them.
Amen.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
A Prayer for Thursday, October 29, 2015
People (Part Four)
O God,
Thank you for people.
Thank you for the relationships
we have with some and for the
connections we have with all.
Thank you for the people
who are our adversaries.
Thank for people who, because
they have different experiences,
backgrounds, and perspectives, are on
a different side of issues than we are.
Help us
to listen to them,
to learn from them, and
to converse with them.
Remind us of how important
our adversaries are to us.
Help us to resist the temptation to talk and
listen only to those who agree with us.
If we need to move toward the
place an adversary stands on an
issue, give us grace to do so.
If we need to stand firm where we
are and to try to move our adversary
toward us, give us strength to do so.
Don’t let us sacrifice a relationship
for the sake of an opinion.
Don’t let us sacrifice a principle
for the sake of a relationship.
Help us to respect our adversaries.
Help our adversaries to respect us.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for people.
Thank you for the relationships
we have with some and for the
connections we have with all.
Thank you for the people
who are our adversaries.
Thank for people who, because
they have different experiences,
backgrounds, and perspectives, are on
a different side of issues than we are.
Help us
to listen to them,
to learn from them, and
to converse with them.
Remind us of how important
our adversaries are to us.
Help us to resist the temptation to talk and
listen only to those who agree with us.
If we need to move toward the
place an adversary stands on an
issue, give us grace to do so.
If we need to stand firm where we
are and to try to move our adversary
toward us, give us strength to do so.
Don’t let us sacrifice a relationship
for the sake of an opinion.
Don’t let us sacrifice a principle
for the sake of a relationship.
Help us to respect our adversaries.
Help our adversaries to respect us.
Amen.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
A Prayer for Wednesday, October 28, 2015
People (Part Three)
O God,
Thank you for people.
Thank you for the relationships
we have with some and for the
connections we have with all.
Thank you for the people
who are our partners in faith.
Thank you that we have the privilege
to share in your grace and love.
Help us to support, to encourage,
to help, and to forgive each other.
Help us to grow together in our
relationship with you and with one another.
Give us grace, love, humility, and wisdom
not to look down on other families of faith.
Cause us to be grateful for who we are,
but don’t let us descend into arrogance.
Help us always to be there for
each other, no matter what.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for people.
Thank you for the relationships
we have with some and for the
connections we have with all.
Thank you for the people
who are our partners in faith.
Thank you that we have the privilege
to share in your grace and love.
Help us to support, to encourage,
to help, and to forgive each other.
Help us to grow together in our
relationship with you and with one another.
Give us grace, love, humility, and wisdom
not to look down on other families of faith.
Cause us to be grateful for who we are,
but don’t let us descend into arrogance.
Help us always to be there for
each other, no matter what.
Amen.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
A Prayer for Tuesday, October 27, 2015
People (Part Two)
O God,
Thank you for people.
Thank you for the relationships
we have with some and for the
connections we have with all.
Thank you for the people
who are our friends.
Thank you for the experiences we
share with them. Thank you for the
good times we enjoy together and
for the bad times we survive together.
Thank you for the privilege of being with
and for each other through thick and thin.
Give us friendship that is infused with
grace and love. Help us to accept each
other as we are. Help us to care more
for the other than we do for ourselves.
Empower us to give ourselves up for
one another in small and large ways.
Thank you for our friends who think like we
do and who support us in our convictions.
Give us friends who are different than we
are and who challenge our assumptions.
Thank you for friends.
Help us to be good ones.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for people.
Thank you for the relationships
we have with some and for the
connections we have with all.
Thank you for the people
who are our friends.
Thank you for the experiences we
share with them. Thank you for the
good times we enjoy together and
for the bad times we survive together.
Thank you for the privilege of being with
and for each other through thick and thin.
Give us friendship that is infused with
grace and love. Help us to accept each
other as we are. Help us to care more
for the other than we do for ourselves.
Empower us to give ourselves up for
one another in small and large ways.
Thank you for our friends who think like we
do and who support us in our convictions.
Give us friends who are different than we
are and who challenge our assumptions.
Thank you for friends.
Help us to be good ones.
Amen.
Monday, October 26, 2015
A Prayer for Monday, October 26, 2015
People (Part One)
O God,
Thank you for people.
Thank you for the relationships
we have with some and for the
connections we have with all.
Thank you for the people
who make up our families.
Let our homes be places
of refuge,
of protection,
of nurture,
of acceptance,
of support, and
of love.
Let our extended families be
networks that provide identity and
undergirding to every member of them.
Help us to speak the truth in love in
our families so that we can help each
other to be the best people we can be.
Thank you for the people
who make up our families.
Cause our family relationships to be
honest, open, and encouraging.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for people.
Thank you for the relationships
we have with some and for the
connections we have with all.
Thank you for the people
who make up our families.
Let our homes be places
of refuge,
of protection,
of nurture,
of acceptance,
of support, and
of love.
Let our extended families be
networks that provide identity and
undergirding to every member of them.
Help us to speak the truth in love in
our families so that we can help each
other to be the best people we can be.
Thank you for the people
who make up our families.
Cause our family relationships to be
honest, open, and encouraging.
Amen.
Sunday, October 25, 2015
A Prayer for Sunday, October 25, 2015
The Lord’s Day
O God,
As we worship you today, we celebrate the fact that through the death of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven.
As we celebrate the forgiveness that we receive, remind us of the privilege and responsibility we have to share forgiveness with others.
We confess how hard it is for us to forgive. We confess that we’d rather hold on to our self-righteousness and judgmentalism. We confess that we’d rather nurture our anger and harbor our desire for vengeance.
But God, the grace you have given us is amazing. How can we not be so affected by it that it causes us to treat others as you have treated us?
It’s easy for us to try to find reasons not to forgive. Help us instead to find ways to forgive.
Let your forgiveness permeate us so much that we can’t help but have it flow out to others.
Amen.
O God,
As we worship you today, we celebrate the fact that through the death of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven.
As we celebrate the forgiveness that we receive, remind us of the privilege and responsibility we have to share forgiveness with others.
We confess how hard it is for us to forgive. We confess that we’d rather hold on to our self-righteousness and judgmentalism. We confess that we’d rather nurture our anger and harbor our desire for vengeance.
But God, the grace you have given us is amazing. How can we not be so affected by it that it causes us to treat others as you have treated us?
It’s easy for us to try to find reasons not to forgive. Help us instead to find ways to forgive.
Let your forgiveness permeate us so much that we can’t help but have it flow out to others.
Amen.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
A Prayer for Saturday, October 24, 2015
Recoil
O God,
Fill us so much with your Spirit,
your love, and your grace that
there is no such thing as a person
from whom we would or could recoil.
Fill us so much with your Spirit,
your love, and your grace that
we recoil from any thought or feeling
that comes anywhere near being hateful,
fearful, prejudiced, judgmental, or superior.
Amen.
O God,
Fill us so much with your Spirit,
your love, and your grace that
there is no such thing as a person
from whom we would or could recoil.
Fill us so much with your Spirit,
your love, and your grace that
we recoil from any thought or feeling
that comes anywhere near being hateful,
fearful, prejudiced, judgmental, or superior.
Amen.
Friday, October 23, 2015
A Prayer for Friday, October 23, 2015
Remove & Replace
O God,
Remove from us any motives and
attitudes that get in the way of our loving
you and loving people as we should.
Remove from us
pride,
envy,
anger,
self-centeredness,
fear, and
greed.
But don’t just remove such negative
motives and attitudes from us.
Replace them with the kinds of attitudes
and motives that will cause us to love
you with all we are and to love our
neighbors like we love ourselves.
Replace them with
humility,
contentment,
selflessness,
compassion,
generosity,
love,
grace, and
mercy.
Fill us with those realities that will
help us to be full human beings
who are truly your children.
Amen.
O God,
Remove from us any motives and
attitudes that get in the way of our loving
you and loving people as we should.
Remove from us
pride,
envy,
anger,
self-centeredness,
fear, and
greed.
But don’t just remove such negative
motives and attitudes from us.
Replace them with the kinds of attitudes
and motives that will cause us to love
you with all we are and to love our
neighbors like we love ourselves.
Replace them with
humility,
contentment,
selflessness,
compassion,
generosity,
love,
grace, and
mercy.
Fill us with those realities that will
help us to be full human beings
who are truly your children.
Amen.
Thursday, October 22, 2015
A Prayer for Thursday, October 22, 2015
Reflex
O God,
It’s a challenge for us to live in the ways that your Son taught us by his life and his words. We have to pay close attention to our lives and we must try hard to do what we know we should do.
Help us to develop the discipline to pay such attention and to give such effort.
But we want and need to move beyond having to try so hard. We want and need to get to a place where such living flows naturally out of who we are.
So help us to grow in you so that living as Jesus taught us to live becomes a reflex for us. Help us to become, way down deep in our true selves, who we are meant to be in you, so that showing love, exhibiting grace, practicing mercy, and having hope become natural to us.
Even then, help us to keep practicing the disciplines that help us to keep growing in you so that our reflexes will remain sharp.
Amen.
O God,
It’s a challenge for us to live in the ways that your Son taught us by his life and his words. We have to pay close attention to our lives and we must try hard to do what we know we should do.
Help us to develop the discipline to pay such attention and to give such effort.
But we want and need to move beyond having to try so hard. We want and need to get to a place where such living flows naturally out of who we are.
So help us to grow in you so that living as Jesus taught us to live becomes a reflex for us. Help us to become, way down deep in our true selves, who we are meant to be in you, so that showing love, exhibiting grace, practicing mercy, and having hope become natural to us.
Even then, help us to keep practicing the disciplines that help us to keep growing in you so that our reflexes will remain sharp.
Amen.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
A Prayer for Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Resort
O God,
When we are in trouble, we all too often try everything and everyone we can think of, and then, when we are completely desperate and can think of nowhere else to turn, we resort to you.
How much better off would we be if we would abide in you? How much better could we deal with the challenges of life if we would develop our relationship with you so that we always know that you are with us to help us, to guide us, and to strengthen us?
We are grateful that you abide in us. Help us to abide in you rather than to resort to you.
Amen.
O God,
When we are in trouble, we all too often try everything and everyone we can think of, and then, when we are completely desperate and can think of nowhere else to turn, we resort to you.
How much better off would we be if we would abide in you? How much better could we deal with the challenges of life if we would develop our relationship with you so that we always know that you are with us to help us, to guide us, and to strengthen us?
We are grateful that you abide in us. Help us to abide in you rather than to resort to you.
Amen.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
A Prayer for Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Reclaim
O God,
Help us to reclaim what we once had but may have lost along the way.
Help us to reclaim the joy of your salvation.
We know more than we used to know and we’ve experienced things that have saddened and hardened us. Such is the way of life. So we don’t ask to be returned to a time of naiveté; we don’t ask to be able to pretend that reality is not reality and that life is not hard.
We do ask, though, that we reclaim the heart-felt and spirit-experienced joy that comes from knowing that you love us and that you allow us to love you. Let the relationship with you that is always ours be a source of constant joy and gladness, no matter what else is going on in and around us.
We don’t ask for a joy that we experience instead of the grief, sorrow, and pain that life can bring.
We ask rather for a joy that we experience in the midst of the grief, sorrow, and pain that life can bring.
Help us to reclaim the joy of your salvation. But let it be a more knowing and more mature joy than it has ever been before.
Amen.
O God,
Help us to reclaim what we once had but may have lost along the way.
Help us to reclaim the joy of your salvation.
We know more than we used to know and we’ve experienced things that have saddened and hardened us. Such is the way of life. So we don’t ask to be returned to a time of naiveté; we don’t ask to be able to pretend that reality is not reality and that life is not hard.
We do ask, though, that we reclaim the heart-felt and spirit-experienced joy that comes from knowing that you love us and that you allow us to love you. Let the relationship with you that is always ours be a source of constant joy and gladness, no matter what else is going on in and around us.
We don’t ask for a joy that we experience instead of the grief, sorrow, and pain that life can bring.
We ask rather for a joy that we experience in the midst of the grief, sorrow, and pain that life can bring.
Help us to reclaim the joy of your salvation. But let it be a more knowing and more mature joy than it has ever been before.
Amen.
Monday, October 19, 2015
A Prayer for Monday, October 19, 2015
Relax
O God,
Help us to grow in relaxation.
Help us to become more and more
relaxed, no matter how busy we are.
Help us to grow in the realization that
you are working through and in us.
Help us to grow in the assurance that
all of our work is in your hands.
Help us to give our work over to you
so that you can accomplish through us
what needs to be accomplished.
Decrease our stress even as
you increase our concentration.
Decrease our worry even as
you increase our focus.
Decrease our busyness even as
you increase our productivity.
Help us to relax more in you so that
you can work more in us.
Amen.
O God,
Help us to grow in relaxation.
Help us to become more and more
relaxed, no matter how busy we are.
Help us to grow in the realization that
you are working through and in us.
Help us to grow in the assurance that
all of our work is in your hands.
Help us to give our work over to you
so that you can accomplish through us
what needs to be accomplished.
Decrease our stress even as
you increase our concentration.
Decrease our worry even as
you increase our focus.
Decrease our busyness even as
you increase our productivity.
Help us to relax more in you so that
you can work more in us.
Amen.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
A Prayer for Sunday, October 18, 2015
The Lord’s Day
O God,
On the one hand, our worship is all about you and not about us. When we worship you, we want all the attention, all the praise, and all the glory to go to you.
On the other hand, we can only worship you as who we are. All we can offer is ourselves; the only way we can encounter you is in our lives—in our spirits, in our bodies, in our context, and out of our experiences.
So today, O God, we worship you as you are and we worship you as we are.
Let our worship of you be all about you.
Let it be about you so much that we leave its effect on us up to you.
Amen.
O God,
On the one hand, our worship is all about you and not about us. When we worship you, we want all the attention, all the praise, and all the glory to go to you.
On the other hand, we can only worship you as who we are. All we can offer is ourselves; the only way we can encounter you is in our lives—in our spirits, in our bodies, in our context, and out of our experiences.
So today, O God, we worship you as you are and we worship you as we are.
Let our worship of you be all about you.
Let it be about you so much that we leave its effect on us up to you.
Amen.
Saturday, October 17, 2015
A Prayer for Saturday, October 17, 2015
Surround (Pt. 6)
O God,
Surround me with your Son Jesus Christ.
Help me to be aware of his presence
every second of every day.
Surround me with Christ’s mercy.
Surround me with Christ’s mercy
so that I
see behind actions to causes,
don’t see myself as better than others,
forgive those who hurt me,
pray for my enemies, and
love those who don’t love me.
Surround me, O God, with Christ’s mercy.
Amen.
O God,
Surround me with your Son Jesus Christ.
Help me to be aware of his presence
every second of every day.
Surround me with Christ’s mercy.
Surround me with Christ’s mercy
so that I
see behind actions to causes,
don’t see myself as better than others,
forgive those who hurt me,
pray for my enemies, and
love those who don’t love me.
Surround me, O God, with Christ’s mercy.
Amen.
Friday, October 16, 2015
A Prayer for Friday, October 16, 2015
Surround (Pt. 5)
O God,
Surround me with your Son Jesus Christ.
Help me to be aware of his presence
every second of every day.
Surround me with Christ’s grace.
Surround me with Christ’s grace
so that I
see myself and others as you see us,
take people as they are without judging them,
embrace sufferers in their suffering,
feel the pain of the ostracized and marginalized, and
accept your acceptance of everyone, including me.
Surround me, O God, with Christ’s grace.
Amen.
O God,
Surround me with your Son Jesus Christ.
Help me to be aware of his presence
every second of every day.
Surround me with Christ’s grace.
Surround me with Christ’s grace
so that I
see myself and others as you see us,
take people as they are without judging them,
embrace sufferers in their suffering,
feel the pain of the ostracized and marginalized, and
accept your acceptance of everyone, including me.
Surround me, O God, with Christ’s grace.
Amen.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
A Prayer for Thursday, October 15, 2015
Surround (Pt. 4)
O God,
Surround me with your Son Jesus Christ.
Help me to be aware of his presence
every second of every day.
Surround me with Christ’s hope.
Surround me with Christ’s hope
so that I
look toward the future that you have in store,
live with confidence and not in fear,
listen to your promises rather than people’s doubts,
live in this good today in light of your great tomorrow, and
do whatever I can to make things better right now.
Surround me, O God, with Christ’s hope.
Amen.
O God,
Surround me with your Son Jesus Christ.
Help me to be aware of his presence
every second of every day.
Surround me with Christ’s hope.
Surround me with Christ’s hope
so that I
look toward the future that you have in store,
live with confidence and not in fear,
listen to your promises rather than people’s doubts,
live in this good today in light of your great tomorrow, and
do whatever I can to make things better right now.
Surround me, O God, with Christ’s hope.
Amen.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
A Prayer for Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Surround (Pt. 3)
O God,
Surround me with your Son Jesus Christ.
Help me to be aware of his presence
every second of every day.
Surround me with Christ’s peace.
Surround me with Christ’s peace
so that I
rest secure in my relationship with you,
seek and follow your will for my life,
know and accept who I am in you,
relate openly and honestly to others, and
help to build and strengthen relationships between people.
Surround me, O God, with Christ’s peace.
Amen.
O God,
Surround me with your Son Jesus Christ.
Help me to be aware of his presence
every second of every day.
Surround me with Christ’s peace.
Surround me with Christ’s peace
so that I
rest secure in my relationship with you,
seek and follow your will for my life,
know and accept who I am in you,
relate openly and honestly to others, and
help to build and strengthen relationships between people.
Surround me, O God, with Christ’s peace.
Amen.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
A Prayer for Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Surround (Pt. 2)
O God,
Surround me with your Son Jesus Christ.
Help me to be aware of his presence
every second of every day.
Surround me with Christ’s faith.
Surround me with Christ’s faith
that trusts in you no matter what comes,
that commits my life into your hands,
that seeks and follows your way for me,
that calls on you even when I can’t detect you, and
that listens for your voice above all other voices.
Surround me, O God, with Christ’s faith.
Amen.
O God,
Surround me with your Son Jesus Christ.
Help me to be aware of his presence
every second of every day.
Surround me with Christ’s faith.
Surround me with Christ’s faith
that trusts in you no matter what comes,
that commits my life into your hands,
that seeks and follows your way for me,
that calls on you even when I can’t detect you, and
that listens for your voice above all other voices.
Surround me, O God, with Christ’s faith.
Amen.
Monday, October 12, 2015
A Prayer for Monday, October 12, 2015
Surround (Pt. 1)
O God,
Surround me with your Son Jesus Christ.
Help me to be aware of his presence
every second of every day.
Surround me with Christ’s love.
Surround me with Christ’s love
that is fully devoted to you,
that is totally committed to others,
that puts others ahead of self,
that willingly gives itself away, and
that desires to serve rather than to be served.
Surround me, O God, with Christ’s love.
Amen.
O God,
Surround me with your Son Jesus Christ.
Help me to be aware of his presence
every second of every day.
Surround me with Christ’s love.
Surround me with Christ’s love
that is fully devoted to you,
that is totally committed to others,
that puts others ahead of self,
that willingly gives itself away, and
that desires to serve rather than to be served.
Surround me, O God, with Christ’s love.
Amen.
Sunday, October 11, 2015
A Prayer for Sunday, October 11, 2015
The Lord’s Day
O God,
Thank you for this day on which we remember and celebrate the most extraordinary thing that ever happened—the resurrection of your Son and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Thank you that we worship you as those who have died with Christ and who have been raised to walk in newness of life with him.
Thank you for our weekly reminder of the extraordinary.
Grant that the ordinary days of the week will be permeated with the extraordinary.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for this day on which we remember and celebrate the most extraordinary thing that ever happened—the resurrection of your Son and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Thank you that we worship you as those who have died with Christ and who have been raised to walk in newness of life with him.
Thank you for our weekly reminder of the extraordinary.
Grant that the ordinary days of the week will be permeated with the extraordinary.
Amen.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
A Prayer for Saturday, October 10, 2015
Violence
O God,
There were two more shootings on college campuses in the last couple of days.
Two bombs killed and wounded many people in Ankara, Turkey in the last few hours.
Armed groups plan protests against radical Islam outside American Muslim houses of worship today.
I know you already know all of that, but I just need to tell you about it and to ask you to have mercy on us. We need your help.
You know what lies in the hearts of people that leads them to think that violence and the threat of violence are appropriate responses to wrongs done or perceived to have been done against them.
Your Son’s heart must break when he sees people who profess to follow him—the One who fought evil with good, who countered hate with love, and who responded to hurt with forgiveness—live in ways that reveal their commitment to the exact opposite of what he lived and died for.
I must confess that, even though I do not threaten or carry out violence against others, that my heart is far from pure. I must confess that I harbor and sometimes even nurture anger and resentment toward others. I must confess that I am not free of the kinds of feelings, attitudes, and thoughts that my Lord told me lie at the heart of violence.
So Lord, please forgive me.
Help me to grow in your love, grace, mercy so that I not only repudiate violence but have none of the heart conditions that lead to it.
Please also work in the hearts of those who are outwardly violent.
We all need you.
And—whether we know it or not—we all need each other . . .
Amen.
O God,
There were two more shootings on college campuses in the last couple of days.
Two bombs killed and wounded many people in Ankara, Turkey in the last few hours.
Armed groups plan protests against radical Islam outside American Muslim houses of worship today.
I know you already know all of that, but I just need to tell you about it and to ask you to have mercy on us. We need your help.
You know what lies in the hearts of people that leads them to think that violence and the threat of violence are appropriate responses to wrongs done or perceived to have been done against them.
Your Son’s heart must break when he sees people who profess to follow him—the One who fought evil with good, who countered hate with love, and who responded to hurt with forgiveness—live in ways that reveal their commitment to the exact opposite of what he lived and died for.
I must confess that, even though I do not threaten or carry out violence against others, that my heart is far from pure. I must confess that I harbor and sometimes even nurture anger and resentment toward others. I must confess that I am not free of the kinds of feelings, attitudes, and thoughts that my Lord told me lie at the heart of violence.
So Lord, please forgive me.
Help me to grow in your love, grace, mercy so that I not only repudiate violence but have none of the heart conditions that lead to it.
Please also work in the hearts of those who are outwardly violent.
We all need you.
And—whether we know it or not—we all need each other . . .
Amen.
Friday, October 9, 2015
A Prayer for Friday, October 9, 2015
Respond
O God,
Help us to respond well to what
life presents us with today.
Life will present us with opportunities;
help us to take advantage of them.
Life will present us with obstacles;
help us to overcome them.
Life will present us with challenges;
help us to face them.
Life will present us with blessings;
help us to appreciate them.
Life will present us with problems;
help us to deal with them.
Life will present us with people;
help us to love them.
Help us to respond well to what
life presents us with today.
Amen.
O God,
Help us to respond well to what
life presents us with today.
Life will present us with opportunities;
help us to take advantage of them.
Life will present us with obstacles;
help us to overcome them.
Life will present us with challenges;
help us to face them.
Life will present us with blessings;
help us to appreciate them.
Life will present us with problems;
help us to deal with them.
Life will present us with people;
help us to love them.
Help us to respond well to what
life presents us with today.
Amen.
Thursday, October 8, 2015
A Prayer for Thursday, October 8, 2015
War
O God,
By one count, armed conflicts are currently happening in sixty-five nations.
Lord, have mercy.
Every group that is fighting has its reasons; all the people who are fighting have their reasons. And to them, they are good reasons. In some cases, they really are good reasons.
We know that wars and conflicts have always been a fact of human life. Perhaps they always will be.
But Lord, it just seems like we should know better by now.
Please help those who work to try to prevent and to limit war.
Inspire us all by your Spirit and with your love to try to work out disagreements and conflicts in ways that are based in mutual respect and in a desire to build human community.
Forgive us for what we do to each other.
Give us grace to love our enemies, as our Lord Jesus Christ told us to do.
Amen.
O God,
By one count, armed conflicts are currently happening in sixty-five nations.
Lord, have mercy.
Every group that is fighting has its reasons; all the people who are fighting have their reasons. And to them, they are good reasons. In some cases, they really are good reasons.
We know that wars and conflicts have always been a fact of human life. Perhaps they always will be.
But Lord, it just seems like we should know better by now.
Please help those who work to try to prevent and to limit war.
Inspire us all by your Spirit and with your love to try to work out disagreements and conflicts in ways that are based in mutual respect and in a desire to build human community.
Forgive us for what we do to each other.
Give us grace to love our enemies, as our Lord Jesus Christ told us to do.
Amen.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
A Prayer for Wednesday, October 7, 2015
With (Part 3)
O God,
Help us to be with each other.
Help us first to remember that we are in fact with each other. We are in our neighborhood, our town, our state, our region, our country, and our world with each other. Try as we might to live apart from one another, we are on this planet together. As much as we let our differences come between us (or cause them to), we are in fact bound by our common humanity.
Help us to be more aware of and intentional about building the human community of which we are all a part. Help us to think less and less in terms of categories, stereotypes, and generalizations. Help us to think more and more in terms of individual human beings and of particular situations. Help us to take advantage of opportunities to get to learn about each other and to get to know each other.
Help us to be with each other in real and honest ways. Help us to be fully present with people when we are talking with them. Cause us to invest our lives in each other. Make us willing to give ourselves up for one other.
Let us always remember that you chose to be with us in your Son Jesus Christ. Let us never forget that in Christ you were with us to the point of death on the cross. Let us remember that he died not just for his friends but for his enemies. Help us to be with each other in ways that reveal that we are his followers.
Help us, O God, to be with each other.
Amen.
O God,
Help us to be with each other.
Help us first to remember that we are in fact with each other. We are in our neighborhood, our town, our state, our region, our country, and our world with each other. Try as we might to live apart from one another, we are on this planet together. As much as we let our differences come between us (or cause them to), we are in fact bound by our common humanity.
Help us to be more aware of and intentional about building the human community of which we are all a part. Help us to think less and less in terms of categories, stereotypes, and generalizations. Help us to think more and more in terms of individual human beings and of particular situations. Help us to take advantage of opportunities to get to learn about each other and to get to know each other.
Help us to be with each other in real and honest ways. Help us to be fully present with people when we are talking with them. Cause us to invest our lives in each other. Make us willing to give ourselves up for one other.
Let us always remember that you chose to be with us in your Son Jesus Christ. Let us never forget that in Christ you were with us to the point of death on the cross. Let us remember that he died not just for his friends but for his enemies. Help us to be with each other in ways that reveal that we are his followers.
Help us, O God, to be with each other.
Amen.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
A Prayer for Tuesday, October 6, 2015
With (Part 2)
O God,
Thank you for always
being with us.
Help us always
be with you.
Help us always to do what we can to
make ourselves open and available to you.
Remind us to be with you
in prayer,
in worship,
in contemplation,
in study, and
in service.
Remind us also to be with you
by being with those who are
weak,
sick,
poor,
marginalized,
and
oppressed.
Thank you for always
being with us.
Help us always
be with you . . .
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for always
being with us.
Help us always
be with you.
Help us always to do what we can to
make ourselves open and available to you.
Remind us to be with you
in prayer,
in worship,
in contemplation,
in study, and
in service.
Remind us also to be with you
by being with those who are
weak,
sick,
poor,
marginalized,
and
oppressed.
Thank you for always
being with us.
Help us always
be with you . . .
Amen.
Monday, October 5, 2015
A Prayer for Monday, October 5, 2015
With
O God,
Thank you for always being with us.
Thank you for always being with us
to comfort us when we are in pain,
to challenge us when we are complacent,
to correct us when we are wrong,
to encourage us when we are down,
to mend us when we are broken,
to humble us when we are proud,
to guide us when we are wandering, and
to hold us when we are trembling.
Help us always to remember and never to forget
that you are with us in all times and in everything.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for always being with us.
Thank you for always being with us
to comfort us when we are in pain,
to challenge us when we are complacent,
to correct us when we are wrong,
to encourage us when we are down,
to mend us when we are broken,
to humble us when we are proud,
to guide us when we are wandering, and
to hold us when we are trembling.
Help us always to remember and never to forget
that you are with us in all times and in everything.
Amen.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
A Prayer for Sunday, October 4, 2015
The Lord’s Day
O God,
As we pour out our lives in
our worship of you today,
help us to realize anew
the unfathomable grace that
led you to pour your life out
for us in Jesus Christ your Son.
Amen.
O God,
As we pour out our lives in
our worship of you today,
help us to realize anew
the unfathomable grace that
led you to pour your life out
for us in Jesus Christ your Son.
Amen.
Saturday, October 3, 2015
A Prayer for Saturday, October 3, 2015
Rest
O God,
Give us grace to rest in you.
Remind us to set aside regular times
when we sit quietly and enjoy your presence.
Help us to maintain a place deep in our spirits
where we always rest in your presence
no matter how chaotic things are around us.
Give us continuous grace
to rest constantly in you.
Amen.
O God,
Give us grace to rest in you.
Remind us to set aside regular times
when we sit quietly and enjoy your presence.
Help us to maintain a place deep in our spirits
where we always rest in your presence
no matter how chaotic things are around us.
Give us continuous grace
to rest constantly in you.
Amen.
Friday, October 2, 2015
A Prayer for Friday, October 2, 2015
When (Part Three)
O God,
We use the word often.
When we say
“When I eat a hamburger” or
“When I walk the dog” or
“When I read my Bible” or
“When I buy gas” or
“When I pray,”
we mean “Whenever”
we do those things.
The assumption is that whatever
we are talking about is something
that we do regularly or routinely.
So when we use the word in that way,
let each utterance of it be a prayer that,
even in the routine and regular events of life,
we will be aware of your presence and
alert to the possibilities of the moment.
Amen.
O God,
We use the word often.
When we say
“When I eat a hamburger” or
“When I walk the dog” or
“When I read my Bible” or
“When I buy gas” or
“When I pray,”
we mean “Whenever”
we do those things.
The assumption is that whatever
we are talking about is something
that we do regularly or routinely.
So when we use the word in that way,
let each utterance of it be a prayer that,
even in the routine and regular events of life,
we will be aware of your presence and
alert to the possibilities of the moment.
Amen.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
A Prayer for Thursday, October 1, 2015
When (Part 2)
O God,
We use the word a lot.
We say things like
“When I was younger” or
“When I got married” or
“When we had children at home” or
“When I was in high school” or
“When I visited Mammoth Cave.”
When we use “when” like that, we are
talking about something we did in the past.
Help us learn to look back
but not to stay there.
Help us learn to
learn from the past
but not to live in it.
When we use “when” to refer to the past,
let each utterance of the word be
a prayer of thanks
for the life we have lived,
a prayer of repentance
for the sins we have committed, and
a prayer of gratitude
for the grace we have experienced.
Amen.
O God,
We use the word a lot.
We say things like
“When I was younger” or
“When I got married” or
“When we had children at home” or
“When I was in high school” or
“When I visited Mammoth Cave.”
When we use “when” like that, we are
talking about something we did in the past.
Help us learn to look back
but not to stay there.
Help us learn to
learn from the past
but not to live in it.
When we use “when” to refer to the past,
let each utterance of the word be
a prayer of thanks
for the life we have lived,
a prayer of repentance
for the sins we have committed, and
a prayer of gratitude
for the grace we have experienced.
Amen.
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