Sunday, February 25, 2018
Offered by Judith L. Watt, Associate Pastor

God of our lives and our concerns, God of this world and its multitude of troubles, God of the universe beyond our imagination, help us to be still in these moments, to know that you are here in this place, to lift our hearts up to you, to settle down, to slow down, to rest in you.

We give you thanks for moments of grace—for another day of life, for the rhythmic cycles of nature preparing to burst forth into spring, for the ritual exchange of pleasantries in cabs or buses or elevators, for new babies, for the freedom to worship, for our collective heartbeat in this sanctuary striving to show forth love and light and blessing to this world, despite our failures and limits.

Great God, you are our teacher, and you know the groaning that becomes ever louder in our world—the deep pain of all who have lost loved ones because of violent rampages. You know the passion of our youth who so want a world that is safe in which they can thrive. You know the deeply held convictions of people on every side of every issue. We pray that through all of the anger and grief and courageous testimony and tearful words, your Spirit will sweep through the hearts of our lawmakers, so that the common good for all becomes paramount in their desires.

Merciful God, you also know the losses in our midst, and so we pray for those who have lost loved ones—parents, spouses, children, grandchildren. Hold out your hope for those who mourn, and hear their pain, but also help them to draw close to you. We pray for those who have received unwelcome diagnoses; give them courage. We pray for those who are recovering from serious surgery; give them strength and hope. We pray for those who suffer from a depression that won’t leave; break into their lives with your light.

As always, we pray for an end to war and a lasting peace brought about by justice. We pray for an end to racism and sexism and prejudice of any kind and ask for your help in making us increasingly aware of our own judgments. We pray for forgiveness in our own lives and ask for the ability to forgive others who have hurt us. We pray for the courage to drink the cup of discipleship no matter the cost. And, God, we thank you for the gift of Jesus and his teachings to the world and to our faith. Help us to keep taking steps in following the path he has set before us. We pray all of this, with gratitude and humility, saying together the prayer Jesus taught: Our Father . . .             

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church