A Prayer for our Country & the Church

Abba Father, Sovereign Lord,

I pray today for my friends who have served in the military, law enforcement or as first responders.  For those who are democrat, republican, independent or of some other political leaning.  For my friends who voted & my friends who chose not to vote.  For my friends who are Hispanic, Latino, African American, Indian, from every tribe & nation.  For my friends who are a part of the LGBTQ community.  For all those who are afraid, worried, concerned, tearful, fearful or not sure what will happen next.

It’s my prayer that the local church can rise up in local contexts and participate in making things the way they are supposed to be in our neighborhoods, in our cities & in our communities. That we will show love & speak of love. Show grace to those who are hurting. Show acceptance to anyone who is afraid they don’t belong.

And so we pray today as Jesus taught us to pray…

Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need,
and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

And we offer these words of prayer, the Prayer of Saint Francis…

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.”

May your church reflect your heart, O God.

Jesus, we pray,

Amen.