Your Strength
O God,
Give me your strength
as I face the struggles
of this day,
of this week, and
of this life.
Thank you for the strength I have.
But it’s just not enough.
So please give me your strength.
Thank you in advance . . .
Amen.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Sunday, November 29, 2015
A Prayer for Sunday, November 29, 2015
First Sunday of Advent
O God,
Let us look forward to your coming. Let us look to what you are going to do in the future.
Let us look backward to your coming. Let us look to what you have done in the past.
Let us look inward for your coming. Let us look to what you are doing within us.
Let us look around for your coming. Let us look to what you are doing in people and events all around us.
Amen.
O God,
Let us look forward to your coming. Let us look to what you are going to do in the future.
Let us look backward to your coming. Let us look to what you have done in the past.
Let us look inward for your coming. Let us look to what you are doing within us.
Let us look around for your coming. Let us look to what you are doing in people and events all around us.
Amen.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
A Prayer for Saturday, November 28, 2015
A Little More
O God,
Help us to walk as far as we can—and then take one more step.
Help us to give it our very best—and then do a little more.
Help us to follow Jesus as closely as we can—and then get closer.
Help us to love people as much as possible—and then love them some more.
Amen.
O God,
Help us to walk as far as we can—and then take one more step.
Help us to give it our very best—and then do a little more.
Help us to follow Jesus as closely as we can—and then get closer.
Help us to love people as much as possible—and then love them some more.
Amen.
Friday, November 27, 2015
A Prayer for Friday, November 27, 2015
Blessings
O God,
For the blessings we have known,
for the blessings we now know, and
for the blessings we will know,
we thank you!
Amen.
O God,
For the blessings we have known,
for the blessings we now know, and
for the blessings we will know,
we thank you!
Amen.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
A Prayer for Thursday, November 26, 2015
Thanksgiving
O God,
Thank you for the blessings that I recognize.
Thank you for the blessings that I don’t.
Thank you for the events that I immediately see as blessings.
Thank you for the events that take a long time to develop
the perspective to see as the blessings they in fact are.
Thank you for my true friends, for my fair weather
friends, for my virtual friends, and for my enemies.
Thank you for what I learn from all
of them about people and about life.
Thank you for what I know, for what I don’t know,
for what I think I know, and for what I’ll never know.
Thank you for the wisdom, on those rare
occasions that I have it, to know the difference.
Thank you for Muslims, for Jews, for Hindus, for Buddhists,
for Sikhs, for Christians, and for people of all faiths.
Thank you for the vast majority of those in all faiths
who live out their faith in ways that make it possible
and even easy for us to give thanks for each other.
Thank you for the possibility of learning
more and more about who I truly am.
Thank you that with greater maturity comes the ability
to be less proud of and less appalled by what I discover.
Thank you for the privilege of an ever-developing,
ever-changing, and ever-evolving relationship with you.
Thank you for those times that I can see and
hear you in unexpected people and places.
Thank you for blessings.
Thank you for all of them.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for the blessings that I recognize.
Thank you for the blessings that I don’t.
Thank you for the events that I immediately see as blessings.
Thank you for the events that take a long time to develop
the perspective to see as the blessings they in fact are.
Thank you for my true friends, for my fair weather
friends, for my virtual friends, and for my enemies.
Thank you for what I learn from all
of them about people and about life.
Thank you for what I know, for what I don’t know,
for what I think I know, and for what I’ll never know.
Thank you for the wisdom, on those rare
occasions that I have it, to know the difference.
Thank you for Muslims, for Jews, for Hindus, for Buddhists,
for Sikhs, for Christians, and for people of all faiths.
Thank you for the vast majority of those in all faiths
who live out their faith in ways that make it possible
and even easy for us to give thanks for each other.
Thank you for the possibility of learning
more and more about who I truly am.
Thank you that with greater maturity comes the ability
to be less proud of and less appalled by what I discover.
Thank you for the privilege of an ever-developing,
ever-changing, and ever-evolving relationship with you.
Thank you for those times that I can see and
hear you in unexpected people and places.
Thank you for blessings.
Thank you for all of them.
Amen.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
A Prayer for Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Without Which
O God,
Thank you for
the bad without which I
wouldn’t recognize the good,
the foes without whom I
wouldn’t recognize the friends,
the failures without which I
wouldn’t recognize the successes,
the fear without which I
wouldn’t recognize the faith,
the despair without which I
wouldn’t recognize the hope,
the wrong without which I
wouldn’t recognize the right,
the legalism without which I
wouldn’t recognize the grace,
and
the apathy without which I
wouldn’t recognize the love.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for
the bad without which I
wouldn’t recognize the good,
the foes without whom I
wouldn’t recognize the friends,
the failures without which I
wouldn’t recognize the successes,
the fear without which I
wouldn’t recognize the faith,
the despair without which I
wouldn’t recognize the hope,
the wrong without which I
wouldn’t recognize the right,
the legalism without which I
wouldn’t recognize the grace,
and
the apathy without which I
wouldn’t recognize the love.
Amen.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
A Prayer for Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Different
O God,
Thank you for the
differences in people.
Thank you for all of the
different colors, languages,
customs, cultures, religions,
and traditions that together
form the great tapestry of
humanity that inhabits this world.
Help us to appreciate and even
celebrate the differences between us.
Help us to do more than accept
each other despite our differences;
help us fully to embrace
each other in our differences.
Bind us together with your love,
the love in which you love us all
because we are all your children.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for the
differences in people.
Thank you for all of the
different colors, languages,
customs, cultures, religions,
and traditions that together
form the great tapestry of
humanity that inhabits this world.
Help us to appreciate and even
celebrate the differences between us.
Help us to do more than accept
each other despite our differences;
help us fully to embrace
each other in our differences.
Bind us together with your love,
the love in which you love us all
because we are all your children.
Amen.
Monday, November 23, 2015
A Prayer for Monday, November 23, 2015
Same
O God,
Everywhere it’s the same sun.
Everywhere it’s the same moon.
Everywhere it’s the same Earth.
Everywhere it’s the same humanity.
Everywhere it’s the same God.
Forgive us for forgetting those facts
and for living as if they’re not true.
Thank you for sameness.
Help us
to see it,
to accept it, and
to live and love
in light of it.
Amen.
O God,
Everywhere it’s the same sun.
Everywhere it’s the same moon.
Everywhere it’s the same Earth.
Everywhere it’s the same humanity.
Everywhere it’s the same God.
Forgive us for forgetting those facts
and for living as if they’re not true.
Thank you for sameness.
Help us
to see it,
to accept it, and
to live and love
in light of it.
Amen.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
A Prayer for Sunday, November 22, 2015
The Lord’s Day
O God,
May we in our worship of you today
crown your Son King of our lives.
Then, may we live our lives in light
of the fact that he is our King.
Let our actions, our words, our thoughts, and
our motives honor and serve our King who
lived to give himself away for the sake of love.
Amen.
O God,
May we in our worship of you today
crown your Son King of our lives.
Then, may we live our lives in light
of the fact that he is our King.
Let our actions, our words, our thoughts, and
our motives honor and serve our King who
lived to give himself away for the sake of love.
Amen.
Saturday, November 21, 2015
A Prayer for Saturday, November 21, 2015
Scholars
O God,
Thank you for scholars.
Thank you for those who dedicate
their lives to understanding the world
and to sharing their understanding.
Thank you for the privilege
of learning from them.
Help us all to use our knowledge for good.
Help us to use it to make things better.
Help us to use it to build bridges between people.
Let us grow in humility even
more than we grow in knowledge.
Amen.
(Dedicated to the scholars attending the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature)
O God,
Thank you for scholars.
Thank you for those who dedicate
their lives to understanding the world
and to sharing their understanding.
Thank you for the privilege
of learning from them.
Help us all to use our knowledge for good.
Help us to use it to make things better.
Help us to use it to build bridges between people.
Let us grow in humility even
more than we grow in knowledge.
Amen.
(Dedicated to the scholars attending the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature)
Friday, November 20, 2015
A Prayer for Friday, November 20, 2015
Communities
O God,
Thank you for those communities to which
we belong and in which we find our identity.
Thank you for the community of family.
Thank you for those to whom we are related
by blood, by adoption, or by marriage.
Thank you for the community of neighborhood.
Thank you for those who are our closest neighbors and
with whom we share the blessings and struggles of life.
Thank you for the community of nation.
Thank you for those who are our fellow citizens and
with whom we share history, hopes, and ideals.
Thank you for the community of the world.
Thank you for those to whom we are bound by
our common humanity and by our common habitation.
Thank you for the community of church.
Thank you for those with whom we share
one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.
Sometimes our belonging to several communities
at once creates conflicting loyalties in us.
When that happens, help us to be guided by the
privilege and responsibility we have to love you with
all we are and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Because we belong to many communities, we have an
allegiance to many laws, rules, traditions, and customs.
But when we have to make choices,
let the law of love be our one law.
Help us to love both the person right in front
of us and the people we will never meet.
Help us to love those we know best
and those we will never understand.
Help us to remember that, when we get
right down to it, we’re all in this together.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for those communities to which
we belong and in which we find our identity.
Thank you for the community of family.
Thank you for those to whom we are related
by blood, by adoption, or by marriage.
Thank you for the community of neighborhood.
Thank you for those who are our closest neighbors and
with whom we share the blessings and struggles of life.
Thank you for the community of nation.
Thank you for those who are our fellow citizens and
with whom we share history, hopes, and ideals.
Thank you for the community of the world.
Thank you for those to whom we are bound by
our common humanity and by our common habitation.
Thank you for the community of church.
Thank you for those with whom we share
one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.
Sometimes our belonging to several communities
at once creates conflicting loyalties in us.
When that happens, help us to be guided by the
privilege and responsibility we have to love you with
all we are and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Because we belong to many communities, we have an
allegiance to many laws, rules, traditions, and customs.
But when we have to make choices,
let the law of love be our one law.
Help us to love both the person right in front
of us and the people we will never meet.
Help us to love those we know best
and those we will never understand.
Help us to remember that, when we get
right down to it, we’re all in this together.
Amen.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
A Prayer for Thursday, November 19, 2015
How?
O God,
How can we follow you faithfully
in such a complicated time?
How can we know how best to display
compassion in the face of hard realities?
How can we know the difference between
legitimate concern and illegitimate fear?
How can we love both our neighbor across
the street and our neighbor across the ocean?
How can we discern the difference between genuine
discernment and predetermined rationalization?
How can we serve you faithfully
in such a complex world?
By your Spirit,
by your grace,
by your love,
by your Son,
by your word—
show us the way.
Amen.
O God,
How can we follow you faithfully
in such a complicated time?
How can we know how best to display
compassion in the face of hard realities?
How can we know the difference between
legitimate concern and illegitimate fear?
How can we love both our neighbor across
the street and our neighbor across the ocean?
How can we discern the difference between genuine
discernment and predetermined rationalization?
How can we serve you faithfully
in such a complex world?
By your Spirit,
by your grace,
by your love,
by your Son,
by your word—
show us the way.
Amen.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
A Prayer for Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Stuck
O God,
Don’t let us get stuck.
Don’t let us get stuck
in our attitudes,
in our mindsets,
in our prejudices,
in our opinions, or
in our fears.
Especially keep us from getting stuck
in a place where we know we’re right
when we may in fact be wrong.
Help us to keep moving and growing.
But help us to keep moving and growing in
good,
positive,
helpful, and
constructive
directions.
Help us to keep moving and growing in
the ways of
love,
grace,
mercy,
hope, and
peace.
Amen.
O God,
Don’t let us get stuck.
Don’t let us get stuck
in our attitudes,
in our mindsets,
in our prejudices,
in our opinions, or
in our fears.
Especially keep us from getting stuck
in a place where we know we’re right
when we may in fact be wrong.
Help us to keep moving and growing.
But help us to keep moving and growing in
good,
positive,
helpful, and
constructive
directions.
Help us to keep moving and growing in
the ways of
love,
grace,
mercy,
hope, and
peace.
Amen.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
A Prayer for Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Stop Me
O God,
When I start to pray or to think
anything even approximating
“I thank you that I am
not like other people”
or
“I thank you that I am
better than other people,”
stop me.
Please.
Amen.
O God,
When I start to pray or to think
anything even approximating
“I thank you that I am
not like other people”
or
“I thank you that I am
better than other people,”
stop me.
Please.
Amen.
Monday, November 16, 2015
A Prayer for Monday, November 16, 2015
Unbelief
O God,
We believe. Help our unbelief.
We believe that you are working your purposes out in this world and in all your creation. Sometimes, though, when we see the terrible events that occur in the world, we can’t quite believe it.
Thank you for the faith we have. Increase our faith.
We believe that the ways that your Son showed and taught us in his words, in his life, and in his death are the ways you want us to follow. Sometimes, though, when we see how different his ways are from the ways of the world and how difficult his ways are to follow, we can’t quite believe it.
Thank you for the faith we have. Increase our faith.
We believe that to know you is to have eternal life. Sometimes, though, when this life beats us up and breaks us down, we can’t quite believe it.
Thank you for the faith we have. Increase our faith.
Lord, we believe. Help our unbelief . . .
Amen.
O God,
We believe. Help our unbelief.
We believe that you are working your purposes out in this world and in all your creation. Sometimes, though, when we see the terrible events that occur in the world, we can’t quite believe it.
Thank you for the faith we have. Increase our faith.
We believe that the ways that your Son showed and taught us in his words, in his life, and in his death are the ways you want us to follow. Sometimes, though, when we see how different his ways are from the ways of the world and how difficult his ways are to follow, we can’t quite believe it.
Thank you for the faith we have. Increase our faith.
We believe that to know you is to have eternal life. Sometimes, though, when this life beats us up and breaks us down, we can’t quite believe it.
Thank you for the faith we have. Increase our faith.
Lord, we believe. Help our unbelief . . .
Amen.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
A Prayer for Sunday, November 15, 2015
The Lord’s Day
O God,
The last few days have been hard.
Terrorist attacks in Baghdad, Beirut, and Paris
have left hundreds dead and wounded and
have heightened the fears of many more.
It is not unusual for us to gather to worship
you on the first day of a new week immediately
after the conclusion of an old week that
was fraught with difficulty and danger.
Indeed, all weeks are, whether we are aware
of it or not, fraught with difficulty and danger.
This new one will be, too.
So please help us today
to celebrate life in the midst of death,
to pray for peace in the midst of war,
to foster hope in the midst of despair,
to practice trust in the midst of fear, and
to share love in the midst of hate.
Tomorrow, show us what we
need to do to make things better.
Today, remind us of who we are
as we worship you for who you are.
Amen.
O God,
The last few days have been hard.
Terrorist attacks in Baghdad, Beirut, and Paris
have left hundreds dead and wounded and
have heightened the fears of many more.
It is not unusual for us to gather to worship
you on the first day of a new week immediately
after the conclusion of an old week that
was fraught with difficulty and danger.
Indeed, all weeks are, whether we are aware
of it or not, fraught with difficulty and danger.
This new one will be, too.
So please help us today
to celebrate life in the midst of death,
to pray for peace in the midst of war,
to foster hope in the midst of despair,
to practice trust in the midst of fear, and
to share love in the midst of hate.
Tomorrow, show us what we
need to do to make things better.
Today, remind us of who we are
as we worship you for who you are.
Amen.
Saturday, November 14, 2015
A Prayer for Saturday, November 14, 2015
Radicalized
O God,
Many voices are calling for us to answer the terrorist attacks by radicalized Muslims in Paris and other places with a radical response of our own.
Forgive us for failing to be as radical in our commitment to our Christian faith as radicalized Muslims are in their commitment to doing what they believe they should do.
It’s way past time for us Christians to become radicalized in defense of our way of life. It’s way past time for us to become radicalized in living out our following of Jesus.
So help us to adopt and to live out a radicalized commitment to following Jesus that leads us to live in radical ways that will overcome the evil with which we are confronted.
Help us to overcome radicalized Islam—and radicalized nationalism, radicalized militarism, radicalized “Christianity,” and radicalized fear—with radicalized following of Jesus that values what he valued, that serves like he served, and that responds like he responded.
Help us to adopt and to live out radicalized love. It’s radical to love our enemies and to pray for those who despitefully use us. It’s radical to look past our own interests and to see the pain and despair that others experience. But that’s the kind of love that Jesus had and it’s the kind of love to which he calls us if we are his followers. Help us to possess and to practice radical love.
Help us to adopt and to live out radicalized grace. It’s radical to see past categories to individuals and to see past actions to causes. It’s radical to forgive those who sin against us. It’s radical to see our enemies as those for whom Christ died just as much as he died for us. But that’s the kind of grace that Jesus had and it’s the kind of grace to which he calls us if we are his followers. Help us to possess and to practice radical grace.
Help us to adopt and to live out radicalized hope. It’s radical to believe that you are working your purposes out. It’s radical to believe that we can by the ways we trust and by the actions we undertake make things better here and now. It’s radical to believe that we can act out of hope and faith rather than out of fear and despair. Help us to possess and to practice radical hope.
Help us, O God, to become more radicalized in living out our Christian faith. Help us to become more radicalized in our following of Jesus. Help us to possess and to practice radical love, grace, and hope.
Help us to overcome evil with good.
But let our good be that to which Jesus called us by his words and actions.
Amen.
O God,
Many voices are calling for us to answer the terrorist attacks by radicalized Muslims in Paris and other places with a radical response of our own.
Forgive us for failing to be as radical in our commitment to our Christian faith as radicalized Muslims are in their commitment to doing what they believe they should do.
It’s way past time for us Christians to become radicalized in defense of our way of life. It’s way past time for us to become radicalized in living out our following of Jesus.
So help us to adopt and to live out a radicalized commitment to following Jesus that leads us to live in radical ways that will overcome the evil with which we are confronted.
Help us to overcome radicalized Islam—and radicalized nationalism, radicalized militarism, radicalized “Christianity,” and radicalized fear—with radicalized following of Jesus that values what he valued, that serves like he served, and that responds like he responded.
Help us to adopt and to live out radicalized love. It’s radical to love our enemies and to pray for those who despitefully use us. It’s radical to look past our own interests and to see the pain and despair that others experience. But that’s the kind of love that Jesus had and it’s the kind of love to which he calls us if we are his followers. Help us to possess and to practice radical love.
Help us to adopt and to live out radicalized grace. It’s radical to see past categories to individuals and to see past actions to causes. It’s radical to forgive those who sin against us. It’s radical to see our enemies as those for whom Christ died just as much as he died for us. But that’s the kind of grace that Jesus had and it’s the kind of grace to which he calls us if we are his followers. Help us to possess and to practice radical grace.
Help us to adopt and to live out radicalized hope. It’s radical to believe that you are working your purposes out. It’s radical to believe that we can by the ways we trust and by the actions we undertake make things better here and now. It’s radical to believe that we can act out of hope and faith rather than out of fear and despair. Help us to possess and to practice radical hope.
Help us, O God, to become more radicalized in living out our Christian faith. Help us to become more radicalized in our following of Jesus. Help us to possess and to practice radical love, grace, and hope.
Help us to overcome evil with good.
But let our good be that to which Jesus called us by his words and actions.
Amen.
Friday, November 13, 2015
A Prayer for Friday, November 13, 2015
Distractions
O God,
Thank you for the distractions that
sometimes make life tolerable
and that often make it enjoyable.
We need distractions for the sake
of our mental and emotional health.
We need them because fun
is fun and we need fun.
But never let us live for them because
they are never the main thing.
Never let us depend on them because
they are never the necessary thing.
Thank you for distractions, Lord.
Make us wise in the ways we use them.
Don’t let us ever abuse them.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for the distractions that
sometimes make life tolerable
and that often make it enjoyable.
We need distractions for the sake
of our mental and emotional health.
We need them because fun
is fun and we need fun.
But never let us live for them because
they are never the main thing.
Never let us depend on them because
they are never the necessary thing.
Thank you for distractions, Lord.
Make us wise in the ways we use them.
Don’t let us ever abuse them.
Amen.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
A Prayer for Thursday, November 12, 2015
Lift
O God,
Lift me up when I am down.
Lift me up when I get discouraged
and when I start to sink in my troubles.
Lift me up when I fall.
Lift me up when I have sinned
and when I start to sink in my guilt.
Lift me up when I’ve been tripped.
Lift me up when someone hurts me
and when I start to sink in my anger.
And Lord, help me to go in
your grace that lifts me up to
lift up others who have fallen.
Amen.
O God,
Lift me up when I am down.
Lift me up when I get discouraged
and when I start to sink in my troubles.
Lift me up when I fall.
Lift me up when I have sinned
and when I start to sink in my guilt.
Lift me up when I’ve been tripped.
Lift me up when someone hurts me
and when I start to sink in my anger.
And Lord, help me to go in
your grace that lifts me up to
lift up others who have fallen.
Amen.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
A Prayer for Wednesday, November 11, 2015
On
O God,
Help us to keep moving on.
Help us to keep moving on
to better ways
of understanding,
of seeing,
of serving,
of helping,
of believing,
of speaking,
of giving,
of deciding, and
of loving.
Help us to keep moving on.
Amen.
O God,
Help us to keep moving on.
Help us to keep moving on
to better ways
of understanding,
of seeing,
of serving,
of helping,
of believing,
of speaking,
of giving,
of deciding, and
of loving.
Help us to keep moving on.
Amen.
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
A Prayer for Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Gullible
O God,
Sometimes I am going to be gullible. Sometimes I am going to be too trusting so that I too easily believe what someone tells me.
I suppose I should ask you to keep me from being gullible. But something else seems more important.
Keep my gullibility from being motivated by fear or anger. Don’t let me believe those who confirm and feed my fears. Don’t let me listen to discouraging naysayers.
Instead, let my gullibility be motivated by love and hope. Let me quick to believe those whose words are inspired by love and driven by hope. Make me willing to believe those who believe that things can be better and who want to make things better.
Don’t let me too gullible.
But when I am, let it be for the right reasons.
Amen.
O God,
Sometimes I am going to be gullible. Sometimes I am going to be too trusting so that I too easily believe what someone tells me.
I suppose I should ask you to keep me from being gullible. But something else seems more important.
Keep my gullibility from being motivated by fear or anger. Don’t let me believe those who confirm and feed my fears. Don’t let me listen to discouraging naysayers.
Instead, let my gullibility be motivated by love and hope. Let me quick to believe those whose words are inspired by love and driven by hope. Make me willing to believe those who believe that things can be better and who want to make things better.
Don’t let me too gullible.
But when I am, let it be for the right reasons.
Amen.
Monday, November 9, 2015
A Prayer for Monday, November 9, 2015
Life
O God,
Thank you for life.
Thank you for
its ups and downs,
its ins and outs, and
its highs and lows.
Give us
grace so we’ll take life as it comes,
faith so we’ll trust that life has a purpose, and
hope so we’ll try to make life better.
Thank you for life.
Thank you for all of it.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for life.
Thank you for
its ups and downs,
its ins and outs, and
its highs and lows.
Give us
grace so we’ll take life as it comes,
faith so we’ll trust that life has a purpose, and
hope so we’ll try to make life better.
Thank you for life.
Thank you for all of it.
Amen.
Sunday, November 8, 2015
A Prayer for Sunday, November 8, 2015
The Lord’s Day
O God,
Lord, we believe. Help our unbelief.
Lord, we praise you for who you are.
Help us to praise you even
when we’re not sure about you.
Lord, we praise you because you
are working your purposes out.
Help us to praise even when we
can’t see how that’s happening.
Lord, we praise you because
you are always with us.
Help us to praise you even when we have
purposely or accidentally moved away from you.
Lord, we believe.
Help our unbelief—even as we worship you.
Amen.
O God,
Lord, we believe. Help our unbelief.
Lord, we praise you for who you are.
Help us to praise you even
when we’re not sure about you.
Lord, we praise you because you
are working your purposes out.
Help us to praise even when we
can’t see how that’s happening.
Lord, we praise you because
you are always with us.
Help us to praise you even when we have
purposely or accidentally moved away from you.
Lord, we believe.
Help our unbelief—even as we worship you.
Amen.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
A Prayer for Saturday, November 7, 2015
Never
O God,
Never let me forget
that you are always with me,
that I am connected with everyone else,
that everything is in your hands,
that I am responsible to do what I can do,
that my actions and inactions matter,
that my motives matter more, and
that I am living the eternal life now.
Never let me forget what it means for me
to know you,
to follow Jesus, and
to be led by the Spirit.
Amen.
O God,
Never let me forget
that you are always with me,
that I am connected with everyone else,
that everything is in your hands,
that I am responsible to do what I can do,
that my actions and inactions matter,
that my motives matter more, and
that I am living the eternal life now.
Never let me forget what it means for me
to know you,
to follow Jesus, and
to be led by the Spirit.
Amen.
Friday, November 6, 2015
A Prayer for Friday, November 6, 2015
If Ever
O God,
If ever I forget all the kindness you have shown me,
if ever I don’t treat someone like I want to be treated,
if ever I value my possessions more than I should,
if ever I think of people in stereotypes and generalizations,
if ever I put being right ahead of being loving,
if ever I let myself believe that I am better than someone else, and
if ever I start to let fear and despair win out over faith and hope,
show me my error, forgive me my sin, and help me
turn my spirit, heart, mind, and body back to you
that you might turn them back toward the world,
better able and ready to live in your love and grace.
Amen.
O God,
If ever I forget all the kindness you have shown me,
if ever I don’t treat someone like I want to be treated,
if ever I value my possessions more than I should,
if ever I think of people in stereotypes and generalizations,
if ever I put being right ahead of being loving,
if ever I let myself believe that I am better than someone else, and
if ever I start to let fear and despair win out over faith and hope,
show me my error, forgive me my sin, and help me
turn my spirit, heart, mind, and body back to you
that you might turn them back toward the world,
better able and ready to live in your love and grace.
Amen.
Thursday, November 5, 2015
A Prayer for Thursday, November 5, 2015
Whenever
O God,
Some things have to wait.
Heaven has to wait.
Perfect peace has to wait.
Full knowledge has to wait.
We look forward to what is coming.
But don’t let us look forward so much that
we fail to live in the moment that we have.
And for now, the only moment that we have is
the one in which we are drawing our current breath.
Make us ready and willing to serve you and
to serve others whenever opportunities arise.
Make us aware that opportunities constantly arise.
Help us to love whenever we have the chance to love.
Help us to forgive whenever we have the chance to forgive.
Help us to bless whenever we have the chance to bless.
Help us to share whenever we have the chance to share.
Help us to help whenever we have the chance to help.
Some things have to wait, O God.
But a lot of things don’t.
Let us do what we can do to make things
better whenever we have the chance.
Amen.
O God,
Some things have to wait.
Heaven has to wait.
Perfect peace has to wait.
Full knowledge has to wait.
We look forward to what is coming.
But don’t let us look forward so much that
we fail to live in the moment that we have.
And for now, the only moment that we have is
the one in which we are drawing our current breath.
Make us ready and willing to serve you and
to serve others whenever opportunities arise.
Make us aware that opportunities constantly arise.
Help us to love whenever we have the chance to love.
Help us to forgive whenever we have the chance to forgive.
Help us to bless whenever we have the chance to bless.
Help us to share whenever we have the chance to share.
Help us to help whenever we have the chance to help.
Some things have to wait, O God.
But a lot of things don’t.
Let us do what we can do to make things
better whenever we have the chance.
Amen.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
A Prayer for Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Wherever
O God,
Thank you for being with us wherever we are.
Help us to cultivate our awareness of your presence through prayer and through paying attention.
Protect us from thinking that our life with you begins when we die. Help us instead to remember that our life with you has already begun because you have chosen to be with us.
Remind us that while there may well be other places we will go, we can and should serve you right where we are. Let us remember that our place of service is wherever we are.
Wherever heaven is, O God, we look forward to being with you there.
Wherever we are, O God, we praise you for being there with us.
Amen.
O God,
Thank you for being with us wherever we are.
Help us to cultivate our awareness of your presence through prayer and through paying attention.
Protect us from thinking that our life with you begins when we die. Help us instead to remember that our life with you has already begun because you have chosen to be with us.
Remind us that while there may well be other places we will go, we can and should serve you right where we are. Let us remember that our place of service is wherever we are.
Wherever heaven is, O God, we look forward to being with you there.
Wherever we are, O God, we praise you for being there with us.
Amen.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
A Prayer for Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Whoever
O God,
There are 7.3 billion people in this world. You know all of them. We know just a few.
Today we will encounter some of them.
Whoever comes our way, help us to see them as you see them: as your creation that you love so much that you gave your Son for each and every one of them.
Whoever comes our way, help us to treat them with respect, with acceptance, with grace, and with love. Keep us from prejudging anyone. Protect us from stereotypes and caricatures.
Let us be a help to those in need, an encouragement to those who are discouraged, a witness to those who need to meet you, and a friend to all.
Whoever comes our way, let us embrace them as fellow travelers and fellow strugglers.
In every encounter, help us to be kind.
Amen.
O God,
There are 7.3 billion people in this world. You know all of them. We know just a few.
Today we will encounter some of them.
Whoever comes our way, help us to see them as you see them: as your creation that you love so much that you gave your Son for each and every one of them.
Whoever comes our way, help us to treat them with respect, with acceptance, with grace, and with love. Keep us from prejudging anyone. Protect us from stereotypes and caricatures.
Let us be a help to those in need, an encouragement to those who are discouraged, a witness to those who need to meet you, and a friend to all.
Whoever comes our way, let us embrace them as fellow travelers and fellow strugglers.
In every encounter, help us to be kind.
Amen.
Monday, November 2, 2015
A Prayer for Monday, November 2, 2015
Whatever
O God,
Whatever comes our way in this day, in this week, and in this life, help us to accept it with grace, with peace, and with hope.
Give us grace to accept whatever happens. Help us to remember that life happens to everyone and that we are not exempt because of our relationship with you.
Give us peace to accept whatever happens. Help us to rest in the reality that you are with us in everything and that you always will be.
Give us hope to accept whatever happens. Help us to live in light of your assurances that everything is going to be all right someday.
Lord, even as we accept whatever happens with grace, peace, and hope, let those same realities compel us to do whatever we can to make things better in this day, in this week, and in this life.
Amen.
O God,
Whatever comes our way in this day, in this week, and in this life, help us to accept it with grace, with peace, and with hope.
Give us grace to accept whatever happens. Help us to remember that life happens to everyone and that we are not exempt because of our relationship with you.
Give us peace to accept whatever happens. Help us to rest in the reality that you are with us in everything and that you always will be.
Give us hope to accept whatever happens. Help us to live in light of your assurances that everything is going to be all right someday.
Lord, even as we accept whatever happens with grace, peace, and hope, let those same realities compel us to do whatever we can to make things better in this day, in this week, and in this life.
Amen.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
A Prayer for Sunday, November 1, 2015
The Lord’s Day
O God,
We bring our best before you in worship today.
Sometimes our best doesn’t seem all that good to us.
Sometimes our best seems tainted by our worst.
Truth be told, we live most of our lives
somewhere between our best and our worst.
It doesn’t make us feel any better to
bring our mediocre before you in worship.
But Lord, this is all we have.
It is what it is.
We are who we are.
We’ve done what we’ve done.
Thank you that you, in your grace,
accept and love us just as we are.
Thank you that you, in your grace,
help us to grow into the best
followers of Jesus that we can be.
So here we are.
And here you are.
We praise you, O God …
Amen.
O God,
We bring our best before you in worship today.
Sometimes our best doesn’t seem all that good to us.
Sometimes our best seems tainted by our worst.
Truth be told, we live most of our lives
somewhere between our best and our worst.
It doesn’t make us feel any better to
bring our mediocre before you in worship.
But Lord, this is all we have.
It is what it is.
We are who we are.
We’ve done what we’ve done.
Thank you that you, in your grace,
accept and love us just as we are.
Thank you that you, in your grace,
help us to grow into the best
followers of Jesus that we can be.
So here we are.
And here you are.
We praise you, O God …
Amen.
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