Creator God, in this unsettling transition, so dismaying to many of us who fear for the most vulnerable among us and for the fragile earth, we trust in your loving care.
You made us and will not abandon us.
You did not promise freedom from conflict or suffering, but promised to be with us.
You are with us now.
So we come in a difficult season of public life asking for guidance, clarity, courage, healing, widened perspective deepened faith, and peace that passes understanding.
Keep our hearts open,
inform our intentions,
direct our energies.
Embolden us to resist what does harm
Guide us toward what is good, toward right action and humble service.
And for each part of our life together we ask your particular help:
For the earth, our home, and all its ecosystems, we pray
Help us to understand what it means to live sustainably
To waste less and share more
To restore, where possible, what we have destroyed
To eat with gratitude what the earth provides
Help us to face climate change with courage and clarity of intention
To alter the behaviors that contribute to it
To care for those already suffering from drought, flooding, crop failure
To insist that proven truths be told in textbooks and public media
Help us recognize the interdependence that links us to all life forms
To protect threatened species
To protect rainforests, farmlands, wetlands, and wilderness matter
To receive food mindfully and reject what is not produced responsibly
For health care, healing, and hope for the sick, we pray
Help us learn how to heal without doing harm
To good food, clean water and fresh air accessible to all
To recognize health care as a human right
To hold accountable those who produce medicines and run hospitals, that concern for the common good not give way to greed
Help us, while we have health, to bring comfort to those who suffer
To accompany with kindness those on the last stretch of their journeys
To provide shelter for the homeless and assistance for those suffering from addiction
To listen and learn from those who live with chronic illness and disability
Help those who go beyond what is required to extend care to the poor
May their generosity be rewarded by joy in giving
May the institutions that support them thrive
May their healing work help heal the body politic and the body of Christ
For immigrants, documented and undocumented, we pray
That their families may remain together and safe
May our legal process be implemented with compassion and care
May we notice and care for those who live in fear of deportation
May their children be encircled by trustworthy, caring adults
That they may find hospitality within our borders
May we seek to understand their situations with empathy and grace
May we see them first as brothers and sisters, children of God
May they not be lonely or fearful as they work to survive
That the hearts of those who treat them with disdain might change
May children be taught what it means to welcome the stranger
May those in power be driven by generosity rather than fear
May all in law enforcement who guard the borders remain humane
For those who stand to lose the most as threats of racism, gun violence, and abuse of women rise, we pray,
And for ourselves we pray, citizens of this country and members of the Body of Christ, as we try to fathom our responsibilities now.
Guide our conversations,
sharpen our wits,
help us to be wise as serpents
and harmless as doves
as we challenge all abuse of power.
We ask all this trusting in your sovereignty your promises, and your unending love.
Amen.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In