Sunday, August 24, 2014
Offered by Joyce Shin, Associate Pastor

Though we call upon you as our Father in heaven, we know that you are near, for in your Son you have shown us that your love flows down to dwell with us. For better or worse, you put yourself at risk, for you have placed yourself in the hands of our humanity. So as we pray for ourselves and for your world, we ask that you make us more humane.

So horrified are we by the acts of cruelty that have been committed this week, for all the world to see, we can scarcely catch our breath. Do not let horror harden our hearts, O God. Do not let fear strike the world still. Let your Spirit overpower anything in its way.

We are sorry, God, that the world has done so much to stand in your way. There are messes that we have made. Though we would like quick fixes, we know that true repair takes time and the hard work of reconciliation, forgiveness, and self-sacrifice.

We pray that these will be the marks of our humanity. We pray that everywhere—in Syria, Iraq, the Ukraine, in Israel and Palestine—the world will see a humanity born of your image, God. Where politics and power are so perverted, we pray for truths to be revealed. Where politics and passions are so escalated, we pray for forgiveness to be sought.

O God, we know that ultimately we need to rely on you to put things right, but we nevertheless ask that you put us to work; make all of humanity your partner, cleaning up the consequences of our actions and caring for the world as best we can.

Now in the silence of our hearts, we offer you prayers for ourselves and for your world.

God, we ask that you gather up the prayers that have filled this sanctuary and bring them out into the world. In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, we pray these things and the prayer he taught us to pray: Our Father . . .

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church