O God, as we come before you this morning, before we say
anything else, before any petition or prayer for our needs to be met or our
mistakes to be forgiven, we simply recognize that you are still God and we are still not. It was you who got us up this morning and gave us breath to fill our
lungs. It is you whose story we can scarcely understand at times and yet we
know that you are not finished with us. It is you who loves us and the world
you created far more than we can ever imagine or will ever be able to love
it. And so as we pray this morning God
we ask that you would give us all that which we need to sustain us in the
journey of your kingdom work until the story arrives at its intended end and
love finally wins. Give us patience, humility, hope, sustenance along the way,
eyes that dare to see your kingdom amidst the brokenness of the world and
hearts that refuse to believe that fear, hatred or violence will ever have the
last word.
O God, you are the one who creates order out of chaos, and
so we come to you today asking you to bring your creative and sustaining breath
to our lives. As we sit together in this place, we realize the diversity with
which you have created us. Your creative Spirit knows no bounds. And yet God we
realize that we don’t know how to deal with difference as well as you. We like
the comfort of familiarity, that which we know.
And fear has a way of being our first reaction when we walk into the
unknown. So God open our eyes to see the
deepest and truest parts of each other, that which we bear in common as your
children. Help us to listen. Help us to
be gentle. And when we cannot think alike, give us the strength to love alike,
that hands bearing different colors and stories and nationalities might come
together to work to usher in your kingdom.
God we especially lift up this morning all those who have so
bravely given of their lives and their service to honor this country. And we
pray especially for those who are still serving, far from home, far from family
and far from life as it was meant to be. Give them a sense of your presence and
protection. And help us in our ability to care well for them, both now and as
they return from service. God we dream of that day when nations will not war against
each other and we will trade our weapons for tools that gives life and hope. As
we move forward toward that day, give us the strength to rule out the wars that
rage within our own hearts, in our own families, and in our own communities.
Help us to be a people of peace. Not just in thought but in deed.
We ask all these things in the name of Jesus who taught us
to pray…
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