July 23, 2023

Offered by Matt Helms, Associate Pastor

O Lord, as the 139th Psalm reminds us, you have indeed searched and known every single one of us — when we take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even then your hand holds us fast. There is nothing outside the bounds of your love, no end to your hopes for us, nothing that exceeds your grace and care.

It is because of that promise — the same promise once extended to Jacob and those who came before and after him — that we lift our prayers today, knowing that you continue to be at work in our midst, even in places of challenge, hurt, and pain.

We pray today for all those dealing with the devastating effects of our changing climate, as soaring summer temperatures and natural disasters have affected tens of millions around the globe and put the lives of vulnerable populations at risk, and we pray that you would guide each of us to be more conscientious of the impact we are having, both for ourselves and the generations that come after us.

We pray for all those who continue to struggle to make ends meet on a daily basis —from housing and food insecurity to those suffering from a lack of opportunity or reasons for hope — and pray you would open the door to new possibilities and better futures.

We pray for victims of violence — those trapped in war zones, communities plagued by gun violence, those living under oppressive and autocratic regimes — and pray that one day they would know peace and be given an opportunity to truly flourish.

It can be hard for us to hold or even recognize the depth of need that so many are facing, but we hold to that promise that you have given us — the promise that says that your love for us will never let us go.

May our lives reflect that. May your Word not just be heard in this building but embodied and proclaimed through our collective lives. Strengthen us for all that you ask us to do. Give us courage. And grant us a sense of the hope and peace that your Son came to bring.

Indeed, we pray for all those who are quietly working to manifest your love in this world — a work that often takes place outside the headlines, but one that is grounded in a deep care for every single person as a beloved child of God.

We pray for those in supportive services; those advocating for peace and understanding in places torn apart by violence; those who invest in the lives of others through teaching, tutoring, mentoring, and caring. And we pray that we as a church would continue to witness to your love in all that we do, serving you and your people however and wherever you call us to.

It is in humility and hope that we raise these prayers, closing with the words your Son taught us to pray as we continue to seek your kingdom: Our Father …

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church