O God of hope and promise,
we pray your persevering presence upon those who have been mentioned this
morning, as well as those whose names are written on our bulletin prayer list,
and those whose stories are written on our hearts.
In circumstances where
loss, in all its forms, has unleashed pain, suffering, and chaos – physically,
relationally, emotionally, vocationally, spiritually – we pray for the ability
to serve as your hands and feet, your heart and voice, with our words and actions,
as well as with our silence and our stillness; through Jesus Christ our Lord…
In the face of injury,
illness, and anxiety, we pray for holy healing and Christ-like calm. In the
places where disease and time have ravaged bodies, minds, and spirits, we pray
for the courage to persevere and the wisdom to recognize the transformational
healing of a new normal when it arrives; through
Jesus Christ our Lord…
In situations where fear
and anger (in all their disguises and self-justifications) hang as dark clouds
of hopelessness, we pray for your peace that passes understanding and a
non-anxious presence that frees us to let go of needing to know and control
everyone and everything, opening ourselves to your gracious plan and promise
for our own lives; through Jesus Christ
our Lord…
In congregation,
community, state, country, and world, we pray for leaders who are not only
persevering, but also passionate and prophetic; and for followers who demand
accountability, not to narrowly contrived contention or self-interest, but to the
broad boulevard of your unconditional love, overflowing grace, unbounded mercy,
and the revealing light of your all-encompassing justice; through Jesus Christ our Lord…
Now hear us as we join our
voices together, as we are able, praying together the prayer that Jesus taught
his disciples, praying…
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