March 19, 2023

Offered by Lucy Forster-Smith, Senior Associate Pastor

We come to you this day, O God, with hearts open to receive your love. We were made for love, gracious Creator, to give and receive it. And we come to know the power of that love in the life, death, and startling resurrection of Jesus.

As followers of your child, our Savior, Jesus, we are astonished at the gift of his life from you, O God. We dare to wonder, to know, to awaken, to follow the path of discipleship with great thanksgiving. Yes, O God, we hold our hands and hearts open and ask that you pour out your love immeasurably into our lives.

And yet, O Christ, our hearts ache and our knees droop as we walk this Lenten path, for we are so aware of all we encounter and we long for your balm. Be our balm in Gilead, O Christ. Be the balm for those who face uncertainty in health, in relationships, in vocational pursuits, in the waiting for answers. Pour out your balm of gladness on those who know nothing but sadness.

And heal the wounds of our souls and the soul of this nation and this global community with a new song. And may we hum along to the music of your universe, rocking joy and spirited light.

We also pray that we would find a spirit of unity, yes, being of one mind, O Christ, in the work of this congregation. Bind us together in harmony, toe-tapping joy and sterling sound, that we would look beyond our own interests to the calling to which we have been called. Make us instruments of your love and peace, bring hope to the hopeless, radiance to those who dwell in the dark, bringing your Spirit of sweeping hope into our midst, O God.

Breathe, o breathe your loving Spirit into every troubled breast. Give us eyes to see untold possibility and hands to reach beyond what we ever dreamed might be. And may all of this be done to the glory, honor and majesty of Jesus Christ. For it is in the strong name of Jesus that we pray the prayer he taught us, saying, Our Father …

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church