Prayer for December 29, 2013 – January 4, 2014 

Sermon Text: Matthew 2:13-23

(Prayer written partly based on Psalm 148, which was the suggested text for the UCC for today)

That we will praise You in endless song

God of all creation, we gladly add our voices to the vast choir that sings your praise.  We rejoice in your presence along with heavenly beings and celestial bodies, with wild and domestic animals, with mountains and trees, with rulers and leaders, and with men, women, boys and girls of every nation.

You are our Creator and we rejoice in You.  Your name is greater than any other name.  Your glory outshines even the majesty of your creation.  You are faithful to your people and have raised up One who leads and delivers us in faithfulness, even Jesus, your Christ.

Enable us to trust You fully.  Enable us to follow Jesus with glad obedience. 

May our voices never be stilled, but may they ring out your praise in endless song.  We rejoice in You.  Amen.

Prayer for December 22-28, 2013 

Sermon Text: Matthew 1:18-25

That we may receive Jesus as your greatest gift

God of wonder and delight, we rejoice in the freedom of your Spirit who moves among us in strange and often unseen ways in order to accomplish your will.

We rejoice that You brought Jesus, your Messiah, through a young woman who trusted You, and that You spoke to her betrothed through a dream that convinced him not to abandon her because of her pregnancy.  Enable us to trust You as fully as they did.

We rejoice that the One You brought into their marriage, and into the world, was fully united to You so that your presence was evident in his character and action. 

Enable us to receive Jesus as your greatest gift to us.  Enable us to trust his guidance and follow him wherever he leads us.  May we glorify You as we follow.  Amen.

Prayer for December 15-21, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 1:46-55

That we may live into your promises with hope

God of wonders, God of all creation, we rejoice in your desire to reorder all the earth so that your healing, your peace, and your justice are experienced everywhere.  We rejoice that when you acted you chose a woman of humility and faith to bring your Chosen One into the world.  We rejoice that in this act You began to lift the poor and hungry so they might experience the fullness of your blessing, even as you began to diminish the rich and proud in order that they might turn to You and give up their idolatry of wealth and power.

We do not see a world that is fully restored in peace and justice.  We do not see a world in which the poor share in the fullness of your blessing.  We do not see a world in which the rich and powerful have been turned from idolatry to practice justice in faith. 

We do not see that our own lives fully match your desire for us.  We too trust too much in wealth and power.

But we trust that You will fulfill your promises.  We trust that Mary’s song of hope and praise will become reality among us, not because we are good enough to make it so, but because you are generous enough and creative enough to make it so.  Enable us to live into your promises as You act among us.  Amen.  

Prayer for December 8-14, 2013 

Sermon Text: Isaiah 11:1-10

That we may be wise agents of justice and peace

God of Israel, and our God, we rejoice that You have raised up Jesus the Christ as a fruitful Branch.  We rejoice that Jesus was filled with wisdom and empowered for ministry by your Spirit.  We rejoice that Jesus knew You, delighted in You, and bore your likeness as he lived in perfect unity with You.

May Jesus lead us into more complete knowledge of You and enable us to live with wisdom and delight.

We rejoice that Jesus is able to discern the truth of our hearts and that he judges justly, especially when he acts on behalf of the poor who are often forgotten, neglected, exploited, abused, or shoved aside.

May Jesus bring more complete justice among us and rouse us to be advocates and agents of justice.

We rejoice that Jesus will bring true peace among us, and that his reign will be characterized by the end of predatory relationships and by widespread knowledge of You.

May Jesus bring true peace among us, and enable us to be bearers of your peace. 

May your name, Jesus, be known throughout the earth and may many hear it and know You by the words of our mouth.  Amen.

Prayer for December 1-7, 2013 

Sermon Text: Matthew 24:36-44

That we may remain zealous in the practice of your merciful love

Christ Jesus, we await your glorious return with hope.  We await the day when You will restore all creation and your reign will be fully evident among us.

Stoke this hope, by your energizing Spirit, so that we are always alert for your presence and action.  Stoke this hope so that we are constantly doing the tasks to which You have called us.  Stoke this hope so that we remain zealous in pursuit of your will and in the practice of your merciful love.

Do not let our attention be diverted from your presence by the concerns and events of daily life, but let them move us toward You.  Do not let us become lax in obedience.  Do not let us forget that Jesus will return or live as though he will not return.

God, we hope in You.  We long for the full unveiling of your glorious reign.  But we await your timing.  Amen.

Prayer for November 24-30, 2013

Sermon Text: Colossians 1:9-20

That we may be full participants in your work of reconciliation

God, our Creator, we rejoice in You and in Jesus, your Son, who is the perfect portrayal, the full expression of your presence among us, and through whom You created all things.  We rejoice that Jesus is Sovereign, even over all powers and authorities, and that he holds all things together in coherent form.

We rejoice that our lives hold together in Jesus, and that his resurrection bears great promise for us.  We rejoice that through him, and through the agony and bloodshed of the cross he endured, You have brought all creation into unity with yourself.

We see only glimpses of that unity now, but we pray for and await its complete unfolding in the world.

Enable us to be full participants in your work of reconciliation by filling us with wisdom and understanding, so that we may be faithful servants in all kinds of good works as we are guided and energized by your Spirit.

We rejoice in You.  We thank You for liberating us from the oppression and control of sin.  We rejoice that You have offered us a share in the inheritance of your holy people.

Continue your work of transformation and reconciliation within us, among us, and through us.  Amen.

Prayer for November 17-23, 2013 

Sermon Text: Isaiah 65:17-25

That we may serve You in your work of renewal

God of all things, only You are able to create new heavens and new earth.

     Only You are able to renew us.

     Only You are able to heal our memories so that we do not cling sentimentally to past glory or grapple incessantly with old wounds.

     Only You are able to make your people a source of delight.  Only You are able to eliminate grief and tears.

     You, Creator God, are the Source of all good news.           

     You give, sustain, and prolong life by your word of promise.  You cause earth to flourish with abundance that feeds your people and your creatures.

     You give us fruitfulness and delight in our labors.

     You bless us and bring blessing to our descendants.

     You answer our prayer before it is thought or spoken.

     You create peace where none seems possible.

     O God, enable us to be faithful servants and coworkers in your great work of renewal.  Let us see the vision of your prophets come to fruition among us, for the blessing of earth and for your glory.  Amen.

Prayer for November 10-16, 2013 

Sermon Text: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17

That we may stand firm in faith during times of adversity and well-being

Living God, draw us deeply into your word, into the scriptures that have come to us through prophet, scribe and apostle who were urged to speak and write by the movement of your spirit in their lives.  Give us a thorough knowledge of scripture that we may live wisely in your presence.

Help us live in joyful anticipation of Jesus’ return and the full visibility of your governance among us.  Do not let us be misled by teachers who claim to know the time of Jesus’ return and who rouse many to anxiety.

Continue the transforming work You began within us when You chose us as your people and set us apart for your mission of love and mercy in the world.

Enable us to stand firm in faith through times of adversity and times of well-being.  May your Spirit enable us to speak and do good as You provide us with many opportunities to do so for your glory.  Amen.

Prayer for November 3-9, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 18:9-14 (a member of the congregation is preaching for me this Sunday)

That we may seek your presence with enthusiasm and joy

Jesus, our desire to see You and be in your presence has often been so strong, so urgent, that we have exerted ourselves in order to skirt every obstacle so that we might draw near You.

When we have done so, we have discovered that You are alert to our presence and aware of our longing.

We realize that your own word has drawn us near.  The history of your great and generous acts has compelled us to seek You and answer your invitation.

When we find You, we find that your word challenges us at the core of our being and calls us to a new way of living.

We learn, also, that You act with generosity, welcome and rescue even as others doubt you and try to set limits on your outgoing and overwhelming love.

Jesus, we thank You for seeing us in our need, befriending us, and enabling us to live new lives.  Amen.

Prayer for October 27-November 2, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 18:9-14

That we may live within the outpouring of your goodness

You who are worthy of all our praise, enable us to worship You with humility.  Enable us to see the reality of our sinfulness, and set aside our pride, arrogance, and delusions about our own goodness and autonomy.

We call on You for mercy and forgiveness.  Forgive us for our many sins.  Forgive us for comparing ourselves to others whose hearts only You know.  Forgive us for our misplaced confidence in ourselves.

We praise You that You have forgiven us.  We thank You for transforming us into people of justice and mercy through the ministry and sacrifice of Jesus Christ among us.

We trust You to abase us or exalt us, in your loving mercy, so that we may be fully attuned to You and live within the outpouring of your goodness.  Amen.

Prayer for October 20-26, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 18:1-8

That we will pursue justice with vigilant prayer and courageous action

Just God, fill our hearts with passion for your justice so that we will never cease to pray for, practice, and advocate for justice with our best energy and by the guidance of your Spirit.

Prevent us from growing weary in the pursuit of justice.  Prevent us from falling silent when our prayers for justice seem to go unanswered.  Keep us from settling for conditions that allow a few to live with great surplus while many live with constant shortfall.

We rejoice, God of all, that You will bring justice for those who cry out to You.  Let us participate in your justice by vigilant prayer and courageous action.  Amen.

Prayer for October 13-19, 2013 

Sermon Text: Jeremiah 29:1, 4-11

That we may rebuild our uprooted lives with your guidance and energy

God, how hard it is to move on when our lives have been uprooted.  How easy it becomes to turn to those who will fill us with false hope, or confirm the false hopes to which we already cling, by saying exactly what we want them to say.

It is difficult to settle into a reality that has been thrust upon us, difficult to build something meaningful to replace all that we have lost.

But You provide guidance for our places of exile.  You give energy to start life anew.  You give vision of a life of fruitfulness that enhances the lives of our neighbors and even the lives of our enemies.  You enable us to live again!

Thank You for your guidance, for the hope You instill, for the renewed energy that You have given and given again.  Amen.

Prayer for October 6-12, 2013 

Sermon Text: Psalm 137 (with a look at Lamentations too)

That we may move beyond grief and bitterness by facing it truthfully

God of comfort, when we lose that which is truly and deeply meaningful, enable us to express our grief through tears and prayers.  Enable us to name what we have lost.  Enable us to identify our bitterness and our desire for vengeance imagined most terribly.

Turn our thoughts to You.  Enable us to trust You.  Fill us with hope in You.  Move us beyond bitterness.  Move us beyond thoughts of vengeance.  Comfort us!  Heal us!

Move us to worship You with praise.  Move us to love our neighbor gladly.  Move us to love our enemy boldly.  Move us to the new life that only You can give.  Amen.

Prayer for September 29-October 5, 2013 

Sermon Text: Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15

That we may see and admit the truth about ourselves

God of hope, at times when we are besieged by life we are tempted to stop trusting You.  Some of us are tempted to deny the truth of our circumstances and assume that everything will just be okay.  Some of us are inclined to presume that You will intervene, even when trouble has come about as the result of our foolishness or sin and we have not sought you or your intervention.  Some of us become passive and refuse to act because we conclude that there is no future for us.

God of all, enable us to see the truth of our circumstances.  Enable us to face reality with courage.  Enable us to admit the truth when we have sinned or played the fool.  Enable us to repent.  Enable us to seek You and trust You and follow your guidance into the new life You promise.

God, our God, we know that there is no real hope apart from your presence and action.  All our hope is in You.  Amen.

Prayer for September 22-28, 2013 

Sermon Text: 1 Timothy 2:1-7

That our prayers may contribute to justice, healing, and peace

Sovereign One, we rejoice in your invitation to pray, your promise of loving attentiveness, and the confidence your fidelity gives us that You will hear and answer for our well-being and for the healing of your world.

     Guide the leaders of our cities, states, nation, and nations of the world into knowledge of your word and pursuit of your justice.

     Enable our leaders to protect those who are poor, weak, and without voice, by compassionate advocacy and by wise and just allocation of resources.

     Enable us, as your people, to be agents of your truth; and may our leaders be committed to knowing your truth and acting truthfully as they carry out their tasks.

     Through wise leadership and faithful living, create a world of peace where your people and your creation are one in You.  Amen.

Prayer for September 15-21, 2013 

Sermon Text: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

(Note: As it turned out, I preached from the gospel instead)

That we may be full transformed by your love

God, our Creator, we rejoice in your great mercy.  We rejoice that You have overcome our resistance, overcome the violence of our hearts, to flood our lives with your grace and enable us to trust and love You through Christ Jesus.

You have saved us from the sin that enslaved us.  You have acted with great patience toward us.  You have shown us your amazing ability to transform lives so that we, with our many flaws and checkered histories, may be a sign of hope for others.

God of all, we rejoice that You have freed us, forgiven us, healed us, transformed us, called us, and empowered us as your people. 

How we rejoice in You!  Amen.

Prayer for September 8-14, 2013

Sermon Text: Philemon 1-21

That we may love without distinction

Living God, fill us with love for all your people and enable us to love, without distinction, even those with whom we disagree.

Enable us to witness boldly about your presence and action and see, more completely, the goodness that we receive from You through Jesus Christ.

Enable us to be a source of refreshment and joy for our sisters and brothers who face great trials.

Help us to see that we really are brothers and sisters in Christ and that we are all deeply valued by You.  Let this understanding be the catalyst for liberating each other from every form of control that we have used to hold others in bondage to us.

Enable us to abandon the hierarchical ways of thinking and acting that have characterized so much of “normal” human relating – even in the church.

Help us live fully into the life of grace, generosity, freedom, and peace that You intend for us.  Amen.

Prayer for September 1-7, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 14:1, 7-14

That your generosity will generate generosity in us

God of all people, we rejoice in your faithful provision for us.  We delight in the good food and drink that You provide.  We thank You for the opportunity to share our table with family and friends.

     Enable us to open our tables more widely to strangers and those who are in need.  Keep us from turning hospitality into a competition for honor, or into a way of making other people feel obligated to us.

     Enable us to be gracious hosts and grateful guests who accept all things as a gift of your generosity.

     May your generosity, which we can never hope to repay, generate generosity of heart and action for which we expect nothing in return.  Amen.

Prayer for August 25-31, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 13:10-17

That we might act in ways that free others to praise You

Liberating God, we rejoice in your desire to free each of us, and every one of our neighbors, worldwide, from all that binds our spirits and prevents us from experiencing the fullness of life that You desire for us.

Enable us to open ourselves fully to your liberating presence.  Enable us to celebrate your liberating acts for others with joy.

Forgive us when we shut ourselves off from the freedom You desire for us.  Forgive us when we complain about or stand in the way of your liberating acts.

Enable us to follow Jesus as agents of your liberation, whose healing acts set others free to praise You and to live with delight in your presence.  Amen.

Prayer for August 18-24, 2013

Sermon Text: Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19

That we may experience renewed energy in your presence

Merciful God, everything depends upon your presence.

     You are our salvation.

     You are our provision.

     You are our Judge when we turn from You.

     You watch over us.

     You raise up wise and just leadership among us.

     You revive our flagging devotion and enable us to worship You with enthusiasm and joy.

     When You turn your face toward us, we experience the fulness of your salvation, we experience peace that is beyond adequate explanation and that endures through every circumstance.  We rejoice in You, our Savior and our God.  Amen.

Prayer for August 11-17, 2013 

Sermon Text: Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

That we may exercise a bold, hopeful faith

O God, give us bold faith.  Give us assurance that You will bring your plan for salvation - for the healing of all creation - to fulfillment.  Give us confidence that You, in your creative ability, will bring about a new reality that we cannot now see or fully envision.

Give us faith like that of Abraham, who left his home to follow your guidance to an unfamiliar place, and there receive the gifts that You had in mind for him. 

Give us faith to live in covenant fidelity and to trust You in all things.  Give us faith, especially, when your promises seem long in coming, when the new reality we await seems like a delusion or an impossibility.

We are not heroic, God, but we ask that You enable us to live by faith daily, consistently, boldly, and with great hope.  Amen.

Prayer for August 4-10, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 12:13-21

hat we will not give in to covetousness and greed

Generous God, how easy it is for us to succumb to covetousness and greed.  How easy it is to compare what we have with what others have and concluded that we have gotten a raw deal.

Root out greed and covetousness from our lives.  Fill us with joy in your presence.  Enable us to live with gratitude – content with your ample provision for our daily needs.

Open our hearts to express your generosity.  In our gratitude, enable us to be generous with our neighbors.  Enable us to be generous, especially, with those whose needs are unmet, those who are truly victimized by unjust practices.

Let us not be lured into folly by wealth, but let us overflow with love and generosity as we depend upon You.  Amen.

Prayer for July 28-August 3, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 11:1-13

That we will always remember that we depend upon You

Listening God, we rejoice in your invitation to prayer.  We rejoice that Christ taught his disciples to pray and we rejoice in the practice of prayer that has been cultivated in the history of Israel, and in the church, for millennia.

We rejoice that your invitation to pray is coupled with your resolve to provide good gifts that nurture and strengthen us and provide what we truly need.

Because of your invitation, we ask of You, we seek your provision, we knock upon your door as the door of our dearest and most responsive friend.

With your children throughout many generations we pray:

     Father, your name is holy. 

     Reign among us.

     Give us the food we need each day.

     Forgive our sins as we forgive all who sin against us.

     Don’t lead us into temptation. 

Open your door to us, our Dearest Friend.  Amen.   

Prayer for July 21-27, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 10:38-42

That we will commune with You and serve You without anxiety

O Christ Jesus, too many things distract us from attending to You and learning from You.  We become “worried and upset” about many things – including many that are good, like providing hospitality, caring for our families, and working for the well-being of our communities.

Enable us to discern between the times when You invite us to more direct communion with You, and the times when we must diligently exert ourselves for completion of the tasks to which You have called us, and for which You have equipped us.

Whether resting in communion with You, or working in obedience to You, enable us to be free from anxiety.  Enable us to focus well so that your presence and glory are always in sight, energizing love and obedience as we wait and as we work.  Amen.

Prayer for July 14-20, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 10:25-37

That we may practice costly love for our neighbors

O Christ, how eager we seem for your word until it challenges us to love our neighbor through bold, self-giving action.

We want to limit the field of neighborliness to that which we think we can manage: our relatives, our friends, people who look a lot like us, people who seem to share our values and commitments.

We often find it difficult to care when someone who is a stranger or outsider falls victim to brutal predators.  We often find it difficult to respond to the losses of those who are not close to us.

Compassionate God, make us alert to the trials and losses of those who have been assaulted and abandoned in ways that are beyond our experience and understanding.  Give us hearts that open to those who have been victimized.  Give us feet and hands that will walk and work for the healing of strangers.  Enable us to release our resources in loving and neighborly acts.  Amen.

Prayer for July 7-13, 2013 

Sermon Text: 2 Kings 5:1-14

That we may direct others to your healing care

God of all, we rejoice that your sovereignty, your guidance, and your blessing operate outside the boundaries that we often assume for You.

     We rejoice that your knowledge, wisdom, and faith are available to people who seem insignificant in the course of human affairs, people with no status or power, unknown to us, yet known by You.  And we rejoice that such people are able to point to your presence and your provision and open doors to hope that are not otherwise visible.

     We rejoice that your healing power operates beyond the fearful control of political powers.  And we rejoice that You call and empower prophets who act for healing and peace with confidence that You are able to do all things.

     Finally, we rejoice that occasionally those with power, status and success, including some of us, are able to hear the promising voices of your servants and turn to You for healing.  Amen.

Prayer for June 30-July 6, 2006

Sermon Text: 2 Kings 2:1-14

That we may live as your prophetic people

O God, we want to be your servants.  We want to answer your call upon our lives even when that requires that we face adversity and loss.

Give us the tenacity that Elisha showed as he followed Elijah, knowing that he would soon be separated from his mentor and friend.

Give us the deep desire for your presence and energizing power Elisha showed when he requested a “double portion” of Elijah’s spirit.

Enable us to trust in You and call upon your name, as our God, and God of our many predecessors, teachers, and mentors in faith.

We would walk with You in faithfulness, seeking your mercy and justice, practicing your truth and love in a world that quickly turns a deaf ear to your voice.  Enable us to live as your prophetic people.  Amen.

Prayer for June 23-29, 2013 

Sermon Text: 1 Kings 19:1-15a

That we will experience your presence anew and be reenergized for witness

O God, when we face opposition and threat because of our faithfulness to You, You know.

When we want to flee to some distant place of perceived safety or when we simply want to sink into our despair, You know.

You know where we have been.

You know where we are.

You know where we are going.

Even in the midst of our despair, You come to us and nurture us and give us energy beyond our resources.

You rouse us from our slumber and send us in a new direction.

When chaos and clamor surround us, You speak to us in a quiet voice that exposes our lack of trust and stands us in awe of your presence.

You hear our words of fear and frustration and loneliness and direct us back into the struggle for faithfulness and justice by your revelation of your self to us.

At times, we feel no more certain, no more secure, no more courageous; but we go where You lead and your presence is enough.  Amen.

Prayer for June 16-22, 2013 

Sermon Text: 1 Kings 21:1-14

That we may faithfully speak your truth and seek your justice

God of all, we rejoice that in every generation You raise up prophets who encounter injustice by your empowering presence and your penetrating word.  By your encouraging presence, your prophets call to account and sometimes dismantle powers that coerce, confiscate, enslave and destroy. 

     We rejoice that You are able to expose truth when it has been hidden behind lies and deception.  Let truth be seen and comprehended among us!

     We rejoice that You are able to bring political powers and authorities to account when they abuse power for personal gain.  By your Spirit, and by your prophets, work within our political structures to purge corruption and firmly establish justice as the norm by which our leaders lead and by which policies and laws are enacted.

     Enable us, as your people, to be faithful in speaking your truth and seeking your justice.  Amen.

Prayer for June 9-15, 2013 

Sermon Text: 1 Kings 17:8-24

That we may be wise and prayerful agents of your compassion

God of wisdom and power, we rejoice in your creative energy.  We rejoice that when You call us to serve You, and send us to unfamiliar places, that You provide what we need and enable us to trust in You.  You enable us to see your abundance even when scarcity seems to stare us in the face.  You bless us with your goodness and bless others through us as well.  By your Spirit, You even allow us to speak true words that comfort grief and calm fear.

God of all life, enable us to be agents of your truth and your life-giving power.  Enable us to pray with wisdom and insight for those who are in crisis and bereft of help.  Answer our prayers by bringing healing and new life to those for whom we pour out our hearts in prayer.  May others truly encounter You, acknowledge the truth of your presence, and trust in You through our ministry and friendship.  Amen.

Prayer for June 2-8, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 7:1-10

That your authority will move us to bold witness and service

Jesus, our Master and Guide, we rejoice in your authority as it has been witnessed to by your apostles and preached in the life of the church.

We rejoice that You create, sustain, recover and renew your people and your creation by your authoritative and life-generating word.

We rejoice in the fact that many people have trusted in your authority and humbly allowed You to act in healing and redeeming ways in their lives.

We submit our lives to the authority of your word.  We commit ourselves to obey You with complete devotion.  We gladly pursue your commission to make disciples throughout the world because we know that the success of your mission is more dependent upon your authority than upon our ingenuity.

We await with hope the day when every knee, including our own, will bow to your authority, and every tongue confess You and bring glory to God.  Amen.

Prayer for May 26-June 1, 2013 

Sermon Text: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

That your wisdom will root deeply within us and empower every choice and action

Still Speaking God, we rejoice that your voice of wisdom has called to us many times and in many ways.

     We have heard your voice: through Moses and the instruction You gave him for Israel; through various prophets whose words were both imaginative and irritating; through the songs of your poets and the sayings of your sages; but supremely through Jesus, who embodied and declared your wisdom in unique and unrepeatable ways.

     We thank You, Holy One.

     Today, we hear your wisdom through your apostles who testify to Jesus, but also through our varied companions on the journey with You.

     We rejoice that You have made your wisdom available to us.  Let it sink its roots deep in our thoughts and emotions so that it empowers every choice and every action.  May every dimension of our lives be transformed so that it reflects your wisdom for your glory.  Amen

Prayer for May 19-25, 2013

Sermon Text: Acts 2:1-21

That we may receive vision and energy from your Spirit

God of all, pour your Spirit upon us again!

     Let your power be evident in our lives!

     By your Spirit, break down every barrier to communication between us

and others to whom You intend us to minister!

     Enable us to speak your word boldly and convincingly!

     Enable us to prophesy in ways that cause others to turn to You in repentance and walk the new paths that You illuminate for them!

     Enable us to prophesy in ways that challenge and topple structures that thrive and profit from death and destruction or by the enslavement of people whom You love!

     Give us powerful visions of the new world that You are creating!

     Enable us to pursue the vision You give us with tenacity, delight and love!

     Let many whom we encounter be stirred to call on your name and find new life in You.  Amen.

Prayer for May 12-18, 2013

Sermon Text: Acts 16:16-34

That we may live fully into the freedom and fullness You intend for us

Liberating God, we rejoice that You call your people to be agents of your freedom.  We rejoice that your word and your power are able to work through us in spite of our many limitations.  We rejoice that You are at work to overcome obstacles to the compassionate service of your people in the world.

     Even in the face of strong resistance, your word communicates your compassion effectively, and your power is able to transform people, situations and systems.

     Enable us to live fully into the freedom and fullness that You intend for us.  Guide us to the people and places where your liberating word and power are most desperately needed.  Enable us to bring your freedom even when we must face accusation and injury and know more fully the cost of love.

     We rejoice in You.  We serve You with gladness.  We celebrate your life-changing love and power.  Amen.

Prayer for for May 5-11, 2013

Sermon Text: Acts 16:9-15

That dreams and visions will lead through obedience to expanded communion with others

God of all things, including our thoughts, we rejoice that your Spirit gives dreams and visions to guide your people in faithful ministry.  We rejoice that your Spirit gives sensitivity and understanding so that we are able to comprehend your desire for us and respond with decisive obedience and wisdom.

     God, we rejoice that when You call us to do something, You make a way for our obedience.  You lead us into the midst of those people who need to hear your word and receive your healing.  Your Spirit enables our speech so that we may speak your word with fidelity.

     Your Spirit touches hearts so that those who hear are able to open themselves to your presence and experience the transformation of their lives by your abundant grace.

     God of all people, as we follow the guidance of your Spirit for witness and service, You expand our circle of communion so that we may give and receive hospitality and praise your name in the company of others to whom your word has brought new life.  Amen.

Prayer for April 28-May 4, 2013 

Sermon Text: Revelation 21:1-6

That we may live new life, now, as we await the day of fulfillment

You who make all things new, we await the fullness of your reign among us.  You who are Alpha and Omega, we place our lives in your hands.  You are our Beginning and our End.  You are all in all to us!

We rejoice in the visions You give your people, especially the visions of heaven and earth renewed, and of pain, death and grief ended forever.  We rejoice that You will be our tender Comforter who wipes away every tear.  We rejoice that we are invited to drink, even now, from the refreshing spring of new life.

God of new life, enable us to live the new life You give, now, in preparation and readiness for your new heaven and new earth.  Enable us to follow Jesus each day in the power of your Spirit.  Enable us, even now, to be agents of the comfort and healing that You will one day bring among us in fullness.

We await the day of fulfillment with joy.  We sing your praise with great delight.  Amen.

Prayer for April 21-27, 2013 

Sermon Text: Acts 9:36-43

That we may move beyond doubt as we celebrate the new life that You give

God of compassion and mercy, we rejoice when your people respond to the needs of their neighbors with urgency.  We rejoice when You act in power to bring healing and new life.  We rejoice when you turn tears of sorrow to rejoicing and cause good news to be shared widely.

But we are often shocked by news of new life.  We wonder, “How can this be?”  We wonder if the storytellers have misunderstood or embellished the story beyond belief.  We ask why we have not experienced the impossible become real in such ways.

God of wonders, we believe that all things are possible for You.  When we doubt, reassure us by the presence of your Spirit.  Give us faith to trust in You in situations that seem far beyond our control and even impossible.  We celebrate your ability to change, heal, and restore your people and your creation.  Amen.

Note: For personal reasons, I needed to post this prayer early. The prayer for April 7-13 is below.  dka

Prayer for April 14-20, 2013 

Sermon Text: Acts 9:1-20

That we may face our fears in order to extend your welcome and healing

Wonder-working God, what rejection and persecution Christ Jesus has faced in the world—even from some who call upon your name.  What trouble and suffering your faithful ones have endured as they have sought to bear witness with holy speech and compassionate action. 

But . . . what sorrow and evil the church has brought when it has turned the message of Jesus into one of hatred and hurt instead of one of compassion, healing and freedom.

In the wonder of your love, Christ calls people who have rejected and hurt him to follow him as agents of compassion and healing.  Christ calls those who have refused forgiveness and refused to forgive as agents of pardon.  Christ calls those who are bound by pride, and who would bind others to control them, as agents of liberation.

We want to follow Christ, as those who are led by his Spirit, to touch some who resisted him with his healing love.  Enable us to face our fears in order to utter the words of welcome and healing your Spirit gives.  Give us the courage we need for the places we must go and the people we must face in obedience to your instruction.  Amen.

Prayer for April 7-13, 2013 

Sermon Text: Acts 5:27-32

That your Spirit may accomplish your will through our lives

God our Maker, we want to obey You in all things, particularly as You call us to witness and serve others by the guidance of your Holy Spirit.  Help us, Holy One!

We want to act with courageous faith when we encounter resistance to your word or to acts of compassion that truly show forth your love.  Empower us!

Forgive us when we are more concerned about what others think or say about us than we are about your call upon our lives and the extension of your reign in every dimension of life.

Let your Spirit speak and act through us in order that your will may be accomplished.  We place all the gifts You have given to us at your disposal.  We place our reputations and our lives at your disposal.  We stake all that we are and do on your Spirit’s presence and aid.  Amen.

Prayer for March 31-April 6, 2013 

Sermon Text: John 20:1-18

That we may be empowered for energetic faithfulness

O God of wisdom and power, we worship You.  We praise your name.  We rejoice in the amazing gift and mystery of resurrection.

We thank You for the empty tomb, holy messengers, the name spoken in tenderness by the beloved Teacher, the glad commission to tell others: “Jesus is alive!”

Who gives hope where hope seems impossible?  Only You!

Who defeats death?  Only You!

Who gives new life?  Only You!

We exalt your name though your ways and thoughts are a deep mystery to us.

God of new life, by the power with which You raised Jesus from the dead, raise us to new life in him, and empower us for energetic faithfulness today and each day.  Amen.

Prayer for March 24-30, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 19:28-40

That we may cling to your word for assurance and motivation

Jesus, we acclaim You as our Sovereign!  We praise You with joy.  We worship You in hope.  We give You glory in word and song and faithful action.  We receive your peace and seek your peace for all the places of anxiety and violence in the world around us.

Enable us to practice courageous faith as we follow You each day.  Enable us to remain vulnerable in the face of resistance and rejection, while clinging to your words as our source of assurance and our motivation for witness and service.

Blessed are you, Christ Jesus, faithful Sovereign!  We bow to You and follow You with songs of praise on our lips.  Amen.

March 17-23, 2013 (Isaiah 43:16-21)

That we may welcome the new thing You would do among us

You who shape and guide our history, we adore You.  We rejoice in the wonders You have done among us.  We look to You in hope.  We worship You with joy.

Your deeds of compassion and mercy have made us your people and have shaped our lives for your purpose and your glory.

You have done great things for us.  But You are not done with us.  You still go before us to lead us into new places of freedom and faithfulness.  You still make a way forward where there was previously no way.

Enable us not to dwell on the past in ways that blind us to the new things that You are doing among us.  Enable us to find refreshment and renewal at the places You have prepared for us along our journey with You.

Energize us for praise by your creative provision for us.  We pray in the name of Jesus who has become the Way of Life for us.  Amen.

Prayer for March 10-16, 2013 

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

That we may live with enduring joy in your presence

God of all people, we rejoice that You do not easily settle for the absence of those whom You love.  You await the return of the beloved one who has abandoned You.  You seek out the lost.  You celebrate those whom You find, those who return to You.  You challenge and correct those who do not want the “undeserving” to benefit from your forgiveness, your generosity, and your joy.

God, we rejoice that You came looking for us when we were lost, when we abandoned You to try to create a life of fullness, freedom and peace that is only available as your gift.  We rejoice in your forgiveness.  We praise You for the tenacity of your love.  We are astonished by your joy at our return.

God, our God, let us live with enduring joy in your presence.  Let us rejoice with You for all your loved ones who return to your welcoming embrace and glad celebration.  Amen.

Prayer for March 3-9, 2013 

Sermon Text: Isaiah 55:1-9

That we may find satisfaction only in You

God of all creation, we praise You.  You whose ways are not our ways, whose thoughts are not our own, we rejoice in your invitation, through your prophet, to receive true nourishment and enduring satisfaction from your generous gifts.

We have answered your invitation and turn, continually, to You.  We have received your mercy and forgiveness with great joy.  We have forsaken evil practices and thoughts.  Where any linger in our lives, give us the courage, energy and patience to change.

You have given us great delight in your presence.  You have enfolded us in your covenant love.

You have given us what we could not discover, achieve or create for ourselves.  We rejoice in You, Generous Sovereign.  We adore You, God of grace and mystery.  Amen.

Prayer for February 24-March 2, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 13:31-35

That we may have your heart of compassion for the world

Christ, strengthen our resolve to follow You in the way You lead.  Strengthen us for the work of compassion that You have called us to, led us in, and for which You have empowered us.

Enable us to walk ahead in obedience, just as You did, when we encounter resistance by powers that believe they are sovereign over us.  Do not let us be controlled by fear, but let us be guided by your Spirit and your vision of a world that is restored and ordered in covenant responsiveness to God.

Give us your heart of compassion for your world!  Enable us to act with compassion in every circumstance, and in ways that challenge structures that diminish and control our neighbors.  Let us walk with You in the freedom and courage You practice and give.  Amen.

Prayer for February 17-23, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 4:1-3

That we may embody your word in our character and action

Christ, our Leader, we rejoice that You have shared our temptation.  We rejoice that You know this challenging and often painful part of our experience, but that You were not overcome by it.

We rejoice that You drew strength from the Holy Spirit of God in your time of temptation.  Enable us to follow your lead by trusting the Spirit for guidance to face each of our challenges.

We rejoice that You knew and embodied scripture so thoroughly that You were able to rebuff the tempter’s seductions even when the tempter used and distorted scripture to tempt You.  Enable us to learn and recall scripture more thoroughly, as your word, and let us 

embody it more fully in our character and action.

We want to walk with You in faithfulness and know that You provide all the resources needed to face temptation without succumbing to sin. 

When we do sin, forgive us, raise us up, and set us back on the path by your side.  We will walk through the wilderness with You if it brings You praise.  Amen.

IN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH

This is the introduction to a prayer booklet that I have written for the congregation I serve for Lent 2013.  I am posting the prayers on facebook.  If you are not on facebook, please friend me there.

     I had some difficulty coming up with a theme for a Lenten guide for this year.  I hope that my decision to write prayers related to the work of the Holy Spirit among us was a decision inspired or influenced by the Holy Spirit.

     Writing about the Holy Spirit for Lent may seem to be jumping ahead of things a bit, since we don’t see the dramatic outpouring of the Spirit until after the resurrection, at Pentecost.  But as we look at the life of Jesus, as witnessed to in the gospels, we see that Jesus’ birth is described as a work of the Spirit, and we see Jesus invested with the Holy Spirit at his baptism.  In other words, Jesus’ entire life and ministry are done with the guidance and in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

     If I were to write a more systematic treatise about the work of the Holy Spirit, I could reasonably include discussion of every event in Jesus’ life and in the life of the church as described in the book of Acts.  I have not written something like that.  So, I have had to make some choices: first, I have chosen to write prayers related only to passages that actually mention the Spirit or Holy Spirit; second, I have chosen not to write prayers related to parallels.  So, for instance, there is only one prayer related to the Holy Spirit’s presence at Jesus’ baptism, even though there are four baptism stories.  Third, I have chosen not to be comprehensive.  So, instead of trying to cover all that the Bible says about the work of God’s Spirit, I have started at Matthew and written until I had enough prayers for the forty days of Lent.  This has taken me most of the way through the book of Acts, which means I can keep writing on this theme for a prayer guide for 2014 (a sequel including much more about the gifts and fruit of the Spirit!).

     There is plenty of theology in these prayers if you are inclined to think about a theology of the Holy Spirit.  In some quarters of the church, we sometimes seem to forget about the Holy Spirit’s presence and work in our lives.  Our God seems more like a duality than a Trinity.  Perhaps these prayers will be a reminder of the Spirit’s presence and God’s fullness.

     The primary point of the prayers is to get us or keep us praying for God’s guidance and empowerment in our lives. 

     Please use these prayers to guide you into more personal and specific prayer for yourself and for the life of the Christian community to which you are committed.  Edit the prayers for yourself.  Go off on tangents.  Let the Spirit lead you!

     I have followed my usual pattern of writing prayers in the first person plural, as a reminder that we always pray as part of the church.  We are part of the holy people that God is creating for communion and for God’s own glory.  We are not individual stragglers in the faith, even though it sometimes seems that way.

     I have not followed my usual pattern of providing an overwhelming number of scriptural passages to read.  Anyone who previously felt compelled to read all of them can breathe a sigh of relief.

     I always welcome feedback (try: facebook David Antieau, send a message through my blog, or speak to me at church). If I receive positive feedback, I smile, thank God, and move on with some sense that I’m on the right track in terms of the use of the gifts God has given me, while trying to keep my head from expanding beyond the size of my hat.  If I receive negative feedback, I get a little bit grumpy at first (maybe more than a little sometimes!), then think about the feedback until I have discerned the truth that may be contained therein.  I then try to let that feedback correct my own thinking, theology or writing as it seems appropriate.

     If I haven’t lost you already, I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide and empower you for your journey of faith as you pray these prayers and add your own.

David K. Antieau

Pastor

St. Nicolai United Church of Christ

Prayer for February 10-16, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 9:28-43

That we may comprehend your promises and your justice more fully

Christ our Teacher - You whom we follow at your bidding - at times when we join You in prayer for the full expression of God’s reign among us, we encounter glory and mystery.

You pull the veil wide so we may see You in your dazzling glory and beauty.  You pierce our drowsiness so we may comprehend more fully that God’s covenant promises and God’s restorative justice are summed up in You.

     You stand with us as we respond in fear and uncertainty, engulfed in mystery that is beyond our penetration or our comprehension.

     You stand among us, affirmed by God as God’s Chosen One, God’s Son, when our moment of terror has passed.

     Speak to us; we will listen.  Walk ahead of us; we will follow, for You know the way.  Amen.

Prayer for February 3-9, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 4:21-30

That we may be open to your word and unwavering in zeal

Christ Jesus, we rejoice that You have come among us preaching:

       good news for those who are poor,

       freedom for those who are in prison,

       vision for those who are blind,

       release for those who are oppressed -

       a season of widespread blessing.

We have heard your liberating words and have seen your healing action, and have responded with amazement and with words of praise spoken and sung.

In our familiarity with You, however, we sometimes come to expect little that is out of the ordinary or new.  We want life to flow smoothly, easily, unperturbed.  We close our minds, close our hearts to divine action that might unsettle us, disrupt our lives, challenge or change us thoroughly.

Christ our Sovereign, we do not want to be like Israel, or like your apostles, in their moments of reluctance or doubt.  We want to be like them in their moments of openness and unwavering zeal.  And we want to be like their surprising neighbors who trusted You boldly in their odd circumstances.

Sometimes, when You confront us with your word, our anger is aroused.  Enable us to see past our anger to the truth about who You are and what You can accomplish among us by your powerful word.  Amen.

Prayer for January 27-February 2, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 4:14-21

That we may preach and enact your good and liberating news

God of all, we rejoice that Christ Jesus has come among us as your agent of holiness, truth and peace.  We rejoice that in 

Christ Jesus many have heard the good news about the forgiveness and freedom that You offer.  Many have received your healing touch that restores vision.

     But many have not heard good news.

     Many have not been liberated from bondage to sin, or from their prison cells.

     Many have not received your healing touch or restored vision.

     Many do not know, or do not believe, that Jesus of Nazareth has fulfilled many of your promises to Israel and welcomed others to share in those promises.

     Enable us, as your servants, and followers of Jesus, whom You sent among us, to continue to preach and enact good news to the poor that frees them from poverty; to preach and enact liberation for those who are in bondage to sin or incarcerated in jails and prisons, or oppressed under immovable burdens of debt.

     Enable us to be agents of your healing who bring light and insight to those who are blind.

     Gracious God, enable us to hear the good news of Jesus in ways that energize us to extend his ministry, in fresh ways, to many neighbors, one neighbor at a time.  Amen.

Prayer for January 20-26, 2013 

Suggested Text: John 2:1-11 (I did not use this text)

That we may experience more fully your holy and awesome presence

God, our God, You came among us in Christ Jesus and quietly became the life of the party.

As we celebrate the life You have given to us, with all of its oddities and perplexities, with its moments of grandeur and moments of anxiety and abasement, You provide for us in ways that we could not foresee.  In spite of our experience of your faithfulness, You continue to give better than we expect of You.

We rejoice that You have entered into solidarity with us through Jesus Christ.  We rejoice that You provide surprising goodness.  We rejoice that the wondrous signs Jesus did declare your love for us and draw us into your holy and awesome presence, where we may taste your goodness and rejoice in You with joy.  Amen.

Prayer for January 13-19, 2013 

Sermon Text: Luke 3:15-22

That we may be beloved and pleasing daughters and sons

God of all, help us to be clear about our relationship to Christ Jesus: he is strong while we are weak and unworthy of his presence, though we depend upon him, constantly, for your mercy.

Help us to be clear about and faithful to our responsibility to point to Jesus as the bearer of your Holy Spirit and to receive and live the life of the Spirit. 

Help us to be clear about and prepare ourselves for the judgment Jesus will bring upon all that does not honor You.  Eliminate all that is useless and fruitless from our lives.  Gather us to yourself as the harvest of Christ’s labor.

God of all, we rejoice in Christ Jesus’ solidarity with us in baptism.  We rejoice in your affirmation of Jesus as your beloved and pleasing Son.  And we rejoice that the ministry of Jesus has extended through the ages to touch and embrace our lives, and through us, to touch and embrace others.

In Jesus’ name, let us also be your beloved and pleasing daughters and sons.  We rejoice in You.  Amen.

Prayer for January 6-12, 2013 

Sermon Text: Matthew 2:1-12

That we may bring You all of our gifts

God of new life and new beginnings we worship You.  We come before You with joy for You have drawn us to yourself.  You have lit the pathway to your presence so that we might seek You and find You.  You have given us hearts that could not rest until they rested in your presence.

     All of our gifts are for You.  We offer ourselves as followers of your Chosen One, not for a single moment of gift giving, but for a lifetime of faithful obedience and dedicated love.

     God, may we never grow tired of your presence.  May our zeal for you never waver.  May our sensitivity to your guidance through your Word and your Spirit increase as we trust in You.  You are our daily delight.  Amen.