Prayer

Naaman, Paul, and Jesus. Who Knew?

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Do you know how, every once in a while, a song gets into your head? Not in an earworm sort of way, but the song stays with you because it resonates with something in you? That has happened to me. For the last couple of weeks I’ve been listening to a song by Matthew West called, “Hello My Name Is.” There’s something about it that has grabbed hold of me in a way that lets me get beyond the traditional language to the heart of the message. Here are the lyrics, but I encourage you to give it a listen.

“Hello, My Name Is”
Hello, my name is regret
I’m pretty sure we have met
Every single day of your life
I’m the whisper inside
That won’t let you forget
Hello, my name is defeat
I know you recognize me
Just when you think you can win
I’ll drag you right back down again
‘Til you’ve lost all belief
These are the voices, these are the lies
And I have believed them, for the very last time
Hello, my name is child of the one true King
I’ve been saved, I’ve been changed, and I have been set free
“Amazing Grace” is the song I sing
Hello, my name is child of the one true King
I am no longer defined
By all the wreckage behind
The one who makes all things new
Has proven it’s true
Just take a look at my life
What love the Father has lavished upon us
That we should be called His children
I am a child of the one true King

It’s the idea that when we encounter God’s transforming love, we are set free from the lies we believe about ourselves. Maybe it is under the influence of this song that I read this week’s texts. But I think Naaman or one of the members of the church in Galatia or one of the seventy could have written this song.

The last time I read the 2 Kings passage about Naaman, I heard nothing but Naaman’s sense of entitlement. This time I heard a story about a man whose expectations and the lies he told himself nearly cost him a whole new life. Naaman was an important man. He had power and position and respect. He believed he deserved an audience and a personal showing from the prophet Elisha. Namaan was, after all, an Aramean and, therefore, better than an Israelite (at least to his own thinking). He had expectations about the treatment he deserved from Elisha and, likely, from the God of Israel. If not for his servants, Naaman would have remained a leper, blinded to the simple act that would bring him healing. Instead, he is healed and maybe sees himself differently as a result of God’s grace.

Seeing Naaman as one limited by his own view of himself, I thought of my patients. As a psychiatric chaplain I frequently meet people who are trapped in their own expectations and are truly blind to opportunities for healing. Unlike Naaman, these people have very poor expectations for their treatment at the hands of others. They believe themselves truly unworthy of love and compassion. They tend to dismiss the idea that life could be different for them if they could see themselves as deserving of kindness if nothing else. Their own self-hatred keeps them bound to a cycle of self-destruction. They are provided with many opportunities to make small, uncomplicated changes which they cannot bring themselves to make. They would say their names are Regret or Defeat or worse. If there is a river of healing out there, it’s for someone else.

By the time I get to the Galations reading, I’m thinking about the Naamans and the psych patients I’ve met. And I marvel at how easy it is for people to get lost in the lies we tell ourselves – for better or for worse. Then I read these words:

Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.

Now I’ve stopped thinking about other people and I’m questioning myself. I realize how many times I’ve been like Naaman and like my patients and I’m thinking that I’ve missed out on lots of things. I’ve not joined in very many protests against injustice… stopped using zip lock bags and bottled water… donated blood recently, gone to any disaster zones to offer aid… kept up on all the happenings of the world… taken any big risks for the sake of improving life for someone else… prayed as much as I could for Egypt, Syria, Afghanistan, Arizona, New Hampshire, my neighbors, or my loved ones… Just what am I sowing, let alone reaping?

Just when I am beginning to despair, I read the Gospel lesson. The sending of the seventy and the instructions to essentially take nothing for their journey speaks of trust. Go where you go in the name of God. Bring peace and offer peace. If it is not received, don’t dwell there. Trust God to give you what is needed. I know it’s more complicated than that, but it comes down to trust. If I put my faith in my own achievements, my expectations are going to be skewed. I could become like Naaman and believe that I deserve better and miss the simple opportunities for cleansing and healing. Or I could become like some of my patients and expect only rejection and mistreatment and miss out on love and grace. The harvest would be rather limited.

Clearly, these readings hit me where I live these days. I am still questioning my expectations and how they might hinder me along the way. I want to pay far more attention to what it is I am sowing based on those expectations. And I want to let go of all the extras I carry when I could be trusting God. I want to live the belief that I am a child of a holy God and I am saved, changed, and set free.

So, Lord, I pray for the Naamans of the world who do not have brave servants and miss bathing in humble waters. And for the times when I have been Naaman. I pray also for the brave ones who speak out in your name to humble and heal the powerful. And for the courage when it is my time to be a brave servant. I lift up those whose expectations hold them captive to illness and self-destruction. And for those who try to show them the way to the river. For all those who sow only in the moment and think nothing of the harvest that is to come. For those who think only of the harvest and have forgotten for whom they sow. For those who weary of laboring for what is right. To this I add prayers of gratitude for all those who have trusted in you and have reminded me what is possible when we follow you, and for the love you lavish on us all. Amen

2013-07-03 21.23.17

RCL – Year C – Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
2 Kings 5:1-14 with Psalm 30 or
Isaiah 66:10-14 with Psalm 66:1-9
Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-16
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Do You Know Where God is?

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This week I have written a prayer that is drawn directly from the 1 Kings, Galatians, and Luke readings. These are the prayers  that emerged as I read the passages. By praying the texts in this way, they become more alive, more relevant for me. Maybe this will be true for you also.

God who is present all the time – when we notice, and when we do not – hear these prayers. I lift up to you:

Those who see nothing wrong with violence and threats of more violence to get what they want

Those who need to flee to places unknown in order to save their lives

Those who feel overwhelmed by the tasks before them

Those who grieve for what was lost in tornadoes, hurricanes, or earthquakes

Those who grapple with wild fire

Those who fail to sit still long enough to hear the sound of shear silence and the still, small voice it holds

Those who spend more time focusing on whom are heirs to the promise than on the promise itself

Those who live as outcasts

Those tormented by today’s demons, legion or not quite so many

Those who are fearful of who they find sitting in the presence of Christ

Those who are afraid to sit with Jesus

Those who are terrified of transformation and healing

And for all the times and ways I am like all of these…

Amen.

2013-05-20 15.35.06

RCL – Year C – Fifth

1 Kings 19:1-4,(5-7),8-15a with Psalm 42 and 43 or Sunday After Pentecost – June 23, 2013
Isaiah 65:1-9 with Psalm 22:19-28 and
Galatians 3:23-29
Luke 8:26-39

A Pastor’s Prayer

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Hear O Lord, the sound of my call and answer me…

You are the God who brings life out of death, the one who sustains widows and grieving mothers, and promises an end to drought. I am not a widow or an orphan and there is no season of drought where I live. But I come to you anyway. I come because I need what you offered to them – sustenance, life, and hope.

You know that I am not a fan of finitude, at least not my own. I am forever reaching beyond my limits and discovering your abundance. But sometimes this body and spirit of mine can go no further and do no more in a day. I am reluctant to acknowledge this truth because there are so many needs unmet, needs greater than my own. I want to have the faith of the widow in Zarephath, but I have seen too many empty jars and far too much deadness. Restore my trust in you.

Once again I have found myself in a place of unrest. Weariness fills me and I see no relief in sight. Show me the path toward peace. There is more chaos than I can hold. Reports of increased violence in Iraq, war growing in Syria, and no peace in Afghanistan. My heart breaks and I am a world away. Tuberculosis spreading in Russia and polio on the rise again. People dying needlessly from disease for want of medicine and education. My hope for humanity fractures when suffering could be ended and is not. Storms of unprecedented power leave only death and destruction in their wake while unseasonable temperatures freeze and then scorch the earth. Still there are those who will not even attempt to take responsibility and make changes before it is too late. Fear grips me in the dark of night. Hear my prayers for peace, for healing, for new life in the face of the seemingly impossible.

Yes, I am overwhelmed by the needs far and near. I want to fix it all, but I am not you. I want to get rid of poverty and homelessness, mental illness and addictions, violence and destruction, apathy and hatred, all the excuses and means for dehumanizing ourselves and our neighbors. So I ask again for your guidance. So many things weigh on my spirit and distract my attention. Show me where I can make a difference. Remind me that I am limited and you are not. Give me the courage to do my part to improve this world rather than be defeated by the magnitude of need.

Elijah performed miracles when he relied on you. I am not asking for that, but I would like that kind faith in you – the kind of faith that shows compassion, elevates others, and brings new life. Today, I am weary. I trust that you have something in mind for tomorrow. Grant me rest. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

RCL – Year C -Third Sunday After Pentecost2013-04-04 19.03.30

1 Kings 17:8-16,(17-24) with Psalm 146
1 Kings 17:17-24 with Psalm 30
Galatians 1:11-24
Luke 7:11-17

Bidding Prayer for Pentecost

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Come, let us unite in prayer for the church throughout the world.

(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns)

Spirit of Life, on this day of celebration, we ask you to set our hearts on fire. May we have ears to hear your Word spoken in the world today and lives courageous enough                    to embrace the wonders of your church everywhere.

Trusting in God’s steadfast love we pray,
Come, Holy Spirit, come.

Let us pray for the United Church of Christ, here and elsewhere.

(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns) 

Spirit of Refining Fire, burn away all that is within us that keeps us from following you. Remind  us that you claim us and name us your beloved children. While the world is full of fear and anxiety, violence and hatred, you shape us into a people of peace and trust, strength and grace. We can learn from the past, but we will not encounter you by looking backward. Grant us the wisdom to respond to the intense fire of your Spirit. We thank you for all those called to lead the United Church of Christ, especially for Geoffrey Black our minister and president, Gary Schulte our conference minister, and all those called to lead your people. Let the flames of your spirit light up the New Hampshire Conference of the United Church of Christ to kindle our passion for loving and serving you.

Trusting in God’s steadfast love we pray,
Come, Holy Spirit, come.

Let us pray for all the peoples of the world.

(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns) 

Spirit who hovered over Creation’s waters, draw near to all peoples of the world. Unite us in our humanity, as part of the whole of creation. Enable us to stand, unbending, against injustice finding strength and courage in you. War, poverty, hunger, and disregard for the rights of others does not honor you. May we forgive our enemies and seek the forgiveness of those we have wronged. We call on the power of your Spirit to guide us into the fullness of creation, that we may be true stewards of all that we have and all that we are.

Trusting in God’s steadfast love we pray,
Come, Holy Spirit, come.

Let us pray for our nation and those who lead it.

(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns) 

Enduring Spirit, you remain with us when we shine as a beacon of hope, when we signal only distress, and when we are completely lost. Your presence brings hope and possibility even when we fail to hear your whispers of all things possible. Like many countries, our nation struggles to find identity, safety, and direction in a world where peace seems impossible and violence seems normal. Be with those who lead this country, especially Barak Obama. May they all seek the wisdom of your guidance as they endeavor to meet the needs of all those who call this nation home.

Trusting in God’s steadfast love we pray,
Come, Holy Spirit, come.

Let us pray for all those who are in need of healing.

(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns) 

Healing Spirit, we so often fail to see those who struggle for health of body, mind, or spirit. We lift them up to you and ask that you our eyes to all those who need us to act compassionately and kindly. We know that there are wounds we cannot see and pain that is kept hidden. Even as we are grateful for the abundance of life in you, we lift up to you all those who are in need of your loving, gentle touch.

Trusting in God’s steadfast love we pray,
Come, Holy Spirit, come.

Let us pray for all those who grieve.

(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns) 

Spirit of Resurrection Power, we lift up to you all whose hearts are broken. You work in the deepest darkness to bring forth your light. You are the One who binds up the broken hearted and the One who conquered death. Bring comfort, hope, and healing to all those who grieve.

Trusting in God’s steadfast love we pray,
Come, Holy Spirit, come.

Let us give thanks to God for all the blessings we have received.

(silence or a time for people to quietly give voice to their concerns) 

Pentecost Spirit who sets disciples on fire, we cannot begin to name all the blessings we have received. May our gratitude be as mighty as your winds. Blow afresh through our lives and our worship that we may truly give you all glory. May we live with your Spirit burning within us, showing forth your love and joy in our worship and in our lives. Hear the prayers of your people. We pray in Christ’s name.

Trusting in God’s steadfast love we pray,
Come, Holy Spirit, come.

Amen. 

RCL – Year C – Pentecost – May 19, 2013canada_25_bg_061904

Acts 2:1-21 or Genesis 11:1-9
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b
Romans 8:14-17 or Acts 2:1-21
John 14:8-17 [25-27]

 

 

photo from pdphoto.org

A Prayer in the Aftermath

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This is my prayerful response to the bombing at the Boston Marathon based on the lectionary readings for the week. If you are looking for a reflection on Psalm 23, click here.

Ever-living God, in days of tragedy and heartbreak, we give you thanks for all the signs of new life around us. The cold days of winter are behind us and the warm days of spring surround us. When anger, fear, and sadness threaten to overwhelm us, open our eyes to the world coming to life everywhere we look. Just as Peter called Tabitha from death to life in your name, you call us from despair to hope. You made us a people of resurrection; lead us into new life now.

Shepherding God, many of us walk in valleys of death; let us walk without fear trusting you to guide us to still waters. We lift up to you all those who suffer in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing. But we do not forget all the places in the world where bombs are frequent – Syria, Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan, and so many other countries around the world. Guard our hearts and spirits from those who would have us live in terror.

God of mercy and grace, we come to you with much on our hearts and minds. We often feel overwhelmed with the state of our world. We focus on the bad news hearing only the awful things. We mourn with those who grieve the loss of life, limb, or innocence from Monday’s bombing. We cry with those whose lives and homes have been destroyed by earthquake in Iran and Pakistan. We echo the fears of flu in China. We wonder at the failure of Congress to vote with their constituents. And there are the personal tragedies – struggles with cancer, addictions, or illness or worries over finances or relationships with loved ones… You know what burdens us and what we are reluctant to let go of. Remind us that your mercy extends to all of us and all those in need. Hear the cries of your people and let us rest in your strong arms.

God who turns mourning to dancing, lead us in the steps of your dance. We long to hear the songs of joy that you would have our hearts sing. You are with the heartbroken and the hopeless bringing healing and promise. Take the heaviness from our hearts and let us sing your praise out loud. You have been with us through every tragedy, every heart break, every act of terrorism, every loss and you are with us now. You embody life and hope. Death and darkness and destruction have no power over you. We stand with you in resurrection light confident that you will wipe every tear from our eyes. Let us dance with you.

God who loves all creation, hear our gratitude for the blessings of this earth. No matter where we are, who we are, what we have done or not done, you shower us with your love. May our lives be filled with love for you and one another. May our acts of grace, hospitality, and forgiveness not be limited to times of tragedy but become our way of living in this world. Let us be gracious stewards of all that you have given to us. Let us live in the fullness of life, rejoicing in the Good News of Resurrection. We are an Easter people and we are your body. May we be reflections of your glory.

Hear the prayers of your people. In Christ’s name. Amen.

RCL – Fourth Sunday of Easter – April 21, 2013DSC00108

Acts 9:36-43
Psalm 23
Revelation 7:9-17
John 10:22-30

Easter Bidding Prayer

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Since this is a very busy week for clergy, I’ve decided to post early. This is a bidding prayer following the traditional format. Feel free to use it and adapt it to fit your congregation. photo from pdphoto.org Come, let us unite in prayer for the church throughout the world.        (silence or … Read More

A Prodigal’s Bidding Prayer

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flower from pdphotoHoly God, you came to reconcile the world and bring new life. No one is excluded from your embrace. Open the arms of your church as wide as the arms of your love. Enliven this body of Christ that we may rejoice when any of your sons and daughters come seeking refuge and healing in our midst. Let us not cling to our traditions so firmly that we fail to be ambassadors of Christ seeking your way and listening for your counsel. Reconciling God, show us the way to new life that we may be alive again.

God of creation, your love for the world is something we so easily forget. More often than not we believe a stranger to be an enemy and dismiss those who suffer. Yet, you would have us throw our arms around the lost ones without judgment. There are places in our world –near and far– that know only violence and despair. Your heartbreaks every time a life is lost in violence or fear or ignorance. God of safe places, widen our reach, open our hearts. Reveal the way of peace to all your people, especially those in positions of leadership and power.

Surprising God, you would have us welcome one another with joy and celebration. But we live in a country divided on nearly all things. Much harm is done in your name, even here. We are a nation of great wealth, power, and resources and still we fail to care for those who cannot care for themselves. Help us to see beyond budgets and party lines to the face of real people who seek hope, safety, and life. It does not matter how much or how hard we have labored or for how long, if any of your children are hungry or hurting. God of abundant life, lead us in ways of justice and equity for all those who live in this great nation.

God of mercy and grace, you offer safety in times of adversity. Remind us that you offer yourself to all people, even those who call you by another name. Our communities are changing and we grow fearful. We tend to forget that all that you have is ours. We are free to share the abundance of your grace because there will always be more than enough. Show us the path to welcome our neighbors from foreign places. May our churches be true sanctuaries for the refugee, the immigrant, the mentally ill, the developmentally disabled, the elderly, the homeless, and all those who are vulnerable and feel unloved and unwanted. Welcoming God, open our hearts to the joy of knowing you that we may kill our fatted calves and rejoice with those who find new life in you.

Healing God, we long to rejoice with you whenever a son or daughter comes alive again. Too often we are overwhelmed by all the broken places in our world, our country, our community, and our lives. We ask that you surround with deliverance all those who are lost to addiction, to illness, to poverty, to hunger, to injustice of any kind. Empower us to stand with those who cannot stand on their own. Make us mindful of the needs of all your children. We pray for the countries, the towns, and all people who are in need of healing and reconciliation. Rejoicing God, unite us with our brothers and sisters around the world. Let us all work with your hands to mend our ways and bring healing to all.

God of abundance and life, we thank you for all that we are and all that we have. We know the benefits of life in you. Too often we are distracted from the joy of living in you. But in this moment, we are grateful. You have called us to be your body in this place and we celebrate our call to be the church today. We will continue on this journey through the wilderness, removing those things that separate us from your love. We know that wherever we go or wherever we have been, you welcome us with open arms. We rejoice in your steadfast love and seek to honor you with all that we do. Gracious God, words fail to express the wonders of your love for us. Keep us firmly in your embrace while reminding us that there is room enough for all your children.

In the name of Christ who reconciles the world to you, we pray. Amen.

RCL – Year C – Fourth Sunday in Lent

Joshua 5:9-12
Psalm 32
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

(image from pdphoto.org)

God is Present: An Advent Prayer

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montana_20080622_4_bgO Love Incarnate, wrap your everlasting arms around all those who mourn this day, and lift up the hearts of those who cannot see beyond the darkness. When we would lose ourselves in grief and anger, touch us with grace enough to turn to you. When anticipation of your birth is forgotten amidst tragedy, violence, and grief, draw us closer to you. We long for the surety of your love even as we tremble in fear.

Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine,
that we may be saved.

Light of the World, remove the shadows of our own sinfulness and selfishness. Your light shines even when our eyes are blinded by gun shots still echoing through our nation, and around the world. Human brokenness turns us from you and we go hungry and cold when you would hold us close. We search for answers and come up with angry impulses, forgetting that you speak loudest in the silence. When we would buy guns to protect ourselves from our neighbors, reveal yourself in the faces around us. We yearn to see you in our midst.

Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine,
that we may be saved.

Promise of Salvation, the star over Bethlehem has dimmed and we are in danger of losing our way to you. We want to protect ourselves and blame others for the ills of our society. We would rather not see you in those with mental illness or acknowledge our responsibility to care for those who cannot care for themselves. With every act of violence, we grow more distant from one another and more fearful of those who seem different. You would save us from ourselves. We have only to make it to Bethlehem and kneel before you, accepting once again that you are the Savior and we are not. Bend our knees. Calm our fears. Open our hearts. We need your saving love.

Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine,
that we may be saved.

Mighty One, your mercy is truly from generation to generation, including this one. Reveal to us, once again, your strength and your power. You are the one who can bring humility to the proud and powerful and lift up those who so often go unseen. We are all hungry in these days of war, violence, and death; you alone can fill us with goodness. It is your mercy we need on this Sunday of Love. It is your might that will bring us to our knees to honor your birth and to trust that you will guide us safely home. Lead us away from mourning into joy that we may honor you once again.

Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine,
that we may be saved.

RCL – Year C – Fourth Sunday of Advent – December 23, 2012

Micah 5:2-5a
Luke 1:46b-55 or Psalm 80:1-7
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-45 [46-55]

An Advent Prayer for Peace

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Persistently Entering-in God, come to us anew this Advent season. We long for a light that will show us the way of peace and justice in our world. In the busyness of our living, remind us that you came into this world in a very ordinary way – amidst the chaos, the crowds, the joys, the sorrows, the yearnings and desires.  And you come to us now, no matter where we are, inviting us to enter into a life of your abundance. Our desire is to come to you; touch us with your refining fire that we might be pleasing to you.

God of Promise, as much as we long to be a people of hope, peace, joy, and love, we often lose ourselves in despair, distress, complacency, and loneliness. The world is often an overwhelming place. Hear us as we lift up to you all the broken places in our lives and in the world around us. Shine your light of hope for the many peoples who are rebuilding their lives after storms and floods, especially for those in the Philippines after this week’s typhoon. Bring peace in Syria, Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan and any other countries, cities, towns, or homes where war, violence, or destruction have become a way of life. For all those who are devastated by loss, mental or physical illness, or addictions, we ask for healing, compassionate care, and a new possibility of joy. And for all those who are lost, forgotten, or unseen, open our eyes that they, too, may know your love. God of All Life, we pray for the day that all your children may shed their garments of sorrow and affliction and clothe themselves with your beauty and glory.

Merciful God, bring light to our darkness. Even as we have prayed for all those in need, we would exclude some from your loving kindness. Teach us to see with your eyes. We sometimes forget that you value all human beings and call us to do the same. Grant us the courage to confront our own prejudices and to stand against those who act in hatred. We long to recognize you in ourselves, in each other, and in all people we encounter. During this Advent season and throughout our lives, by your tender mercy, guide our feet in the way of peace.

God-with-us, we are in the wilderness and we hear the cry to prepare the way for you. You come to us in the ordinary, and extraordinary things happen – a baby in a manger brings salvation to the world. We are your people. We know that you are the God who is come, has come, and will come again. In gratitude we try to smooth away our roughness and wait for the day when all shall see the salvation of God.  Amen.

DSC00102

RCL – Year C  – Second Sunday of Advent December 9, 2012

Malachi 3:1-4 or Baruch 5:1-9
Luke 1:68-79
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6

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