Friday, July 08, 2005

Proper 10 Ordinary 15 A -- Pastoral Prayer

Dearest Lord, we thank You for this day. We thank You for Your word that is always a lamp that gives us light wherever we walk. We give You thanks for Your teachings and writings – let us always respect them all, and help us use them to guide us in all that we do. Your teachings and the example of Your life will always be our most prized possession and our source of joy. Help us to obey Your laws forever, and live by the example of Your life no matter what.

Lord, like Rebekah we have things that struggle together within us. Like Rebekah we ask "If it is to be this way, why do I live?" Like Rebekah we come to inquire of You. We listen for Your voice. Speak to us today – through Your Word, through Your Spirit and through the lives of the believers around us. Like her sons, sometimes we do deceitful things, foolish things. We confess that we have sinned -- we have sinned against You and each other -- in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have failed to do. We are truly sorry, and we humbly repent.

Lord, we ask that You have mercy on us and forgive us; so that we may delight in Your will and Your laws, and walk by the light of Your Word forever. We know that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. And we know that the Spirit dwells in and among us and gives us life.

Lord, You know the things that fight and struggle within us. You know the places where our soil is barren. You know the burdens that we bear. You know where we are hurting and need healing. You have heard the names we have spoken here today -- You know those who are suffering and have felt loss this week. Look with love on our sorrows, comfort us with Your goodness, and give us peace in our mourning. These things we pray in the name of your son Jesus who taught us to pray saying: Our Father...

No comments: