Prayer from a Pastor’s Heart
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Our God, we come to you this day worshipping YOU… for you alone are God, you are holy, you are our Creator, Redeemer, Lord.
We thank you for your provision in our lives… warmth, and food, dear friends, and blessings… all gifts of your grace and mercy received with gratitude from your bountiful hand.
Yet, we confess that we don’t always live up to the standard your love in our own lives and in our relationships. We try… but so often fail – forgive us. It is our heart’s desire to live according to the image of Christ. Help us, Lord.
Our hearts are so burdened today, Lord, for what we see and hear from the land that we call Holy – for the Israel-Hamas War and ALL of the people caught in the throws of that horrific struggle. We pray for the families of the Israelis who suffered tragic loss or kidnapping at the hands of those bent on terror, death and hate and also, we pray for the innocent victims of the retaliatory bombings in Gaza. The loss of innocent lives always breaks your heart, God, and it breaks ours as well. Earnestly we pray that the peoples of the world will indeed learn to “beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks;” where…“nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” We desperately need your peace - your shalom – to rule in the hearts of all peoples. May we, your children, wage peace in our own relationships and do the hard work of being peacemakers in our world.
We pray for those among our community of faith who are in special need of your healing, comfort, and care knowing that you, God, know every person and every need intimately. Some have suffered grief and loss in recent days. Some have found out that they have cancer. Some are facing surgery or other medical procedures. Be with these as our God Emmanuel – our God who is always with us!
We also pray for social justice for all people groups who may be despised and looked down upon for their race, the color of their skin, their place of origin, their gender, sexual identity, or economic status. You hear the outcry of those on the margins of society. May we, your church, be as Christ to each of these celebrating diversity, inclusivity, justice, and peace.
“We praise your gracious power that tumbles walls of fear… and gathers in one house of faith all strangers far and near
We praise Your persistent truth that opens fisted minds… and eases from their anxious clutch the prejudice that blinds
We praise inclusive love encircling every race… oblivious to gender, wealth, social rank, or place.
We praise your tide of grace that laps at every shore… with visions of a world at peace, no longer bled by war…”
(text by Thomas H. Troeger)
May it be so, Lord… may it be so. It is in Christ’s name and through the Spirit that we pray. AMEN
R. Mark Green
Pastor to Senior Adults and Youth & Children’s Music