A Prayer for Sabbath

DSC00909

Steadfast God of love and mercy, how long you have waited for your people to bless your holy name! Through the words of ancient prophets and the Incarnate Word, you tell of your enduring, unconditional love for humanity. You call to us over and over again. Even now, your call to us continues.

We have wandered far from a time that honors the Sabbath. You gave us this day to help us be mindful that we are your people. We excel at ways to fill our quiet hours with our own thoughts and pursuits, forgetting our need to come to you for rest and to worship. Open our ears to the prophets of old, the teachings of Jesus, and those whose words point the way to you.

Gracious God, you are slow to anger and your steadfast love abounds. But, surely, we must test you. You have told us to feed the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted. You want us to stop binding ourselves to destructive ways, pointing fingers at one another, and speaking badly of those around us. Yet, we so often fail in these simple things. We frequently overlook the hungry and turn away from the afflicted. We continue our warring ways, blaming others for our wrongs, and speaking against our neighbors. Have mercy on us. Open our hearts to compassion and peace.

God of all, you remind us that there is much that bends us over, many spirits can cripple us at any time. But the time for healing is now. We can embrace the freedom you offer us right now. We can honor you by giving up our self-interested ways and giving things to you in all things. Even as we are overwhelmed by the tragedies in our lives and the world around us, you embrace us and call us to Sabbath rest. Open our lives that we may we come to you with all that is within us.

Passionate, fiery God, we live in a chaotic world with all kinds of noise and busyness to take our attention from you. We are so easily lost in work, information, entertainment, and in less meaningful activities. Set us on fire! Let us be consumed with a fire that brings light into the dark places of our lives. Open our spirits that we may worship you with reverence and awe.

In gratitude for the abundance of your steadfast love and mercy, we pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

RCL – Year C – Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost – August 25, 2013
Jeremiah 1:4-10 with Psalm 71:1-6 or
Isaiah 58:9b-14 with Psalm 103:1-8 and
Hebrews 12:18-29 and
Luke 13:10-17

Do You Know Where God is?

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

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

An Advent Prayer for Peace

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

A Post-Election Prayer

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) Gracious God, many voices cry out to you, and you hear us all. Grant us the grace and wisdom to honor and celebrate all who gather at your table. O … Read More

An Open Letter to Wisdom

This week I am adding a bonus post. I really struggled with how to capture in words my thoughts and feelings entangled in the lectionary readings and various events of the week. I really should know by now that when this happens and I cannot express things in prose, I should step back and let … Read More

Bidding Prayer for Wisdom

RCL – Year B – Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost – August, 19, 2012 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 with Psalm 111 or Proverbs 9:1-6 with Psalm 34:9-14 Ephesians 5:15-20 John 6:51-58 The Olympics are over and the feelings of camaraderie and unity they inspired are fading quickly. A man walked into a conservative research center and fired on … Read More

Healing Thoughts

RCL – July 1, 2012 – Fifth Sunday after Pentecost 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 with Psalm 130  or Wisdom of Solomon 1:13-15, 2:23-24 or Lamentations 3:23-33 with Psalm 30 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 Mark 5:21-43 When I sit down to write this blog, I usually review the news for the week because I can’t quite recall … Read More