Sermon Text: Genesis 45:1-15
That our brokenness will be shaped to reveal your presence
God, your ways are inscrutable to us. Even when we act foolishly, even when we sin and do evil, You are able to bring good out of the wrong that we have done. We rejoice in You for your great mercy to us. We rejoice that You work in every situation to bring about good for your children. We live because You are merciful. We enjoy abundant blessing because You are generous.
God, we rejoice that even the most difficult circumstances in our lives may serve as lenses through which we see your glory. You bring beauty and order out of our chaos. You bring hope in place of our despair. You bring forgiveness and communion where our relationships had been broken. You turn our affliction and abandonment into opportunities to serve your saving purpose.
God of all, You have walked with the children of Abraham and Sarah through strange and significant circumstances. Walk with us now, forgiving our sin and creating goodness in spite of it; taking our brokenness and shaping it to reveal your glorious presence and action. Amen.
Thoughts, and prayers from Pastor David Antieau at St. Nicolai United Church of Christ
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Prayer for August 7-13, 2011
Sermon Text: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
That our troubles will shape us for greater faithfulness
God of visions, how easy it is for us to become arrogant and insensitive when You have touched our lives and given us some vision of your future for us. And how quickly our lives seem to collapse around us when others respond to our sense of our own importance with jealousy and anger.
Even when You give us dreams, You do not show us every step of the path that lies before us. You direct us toward our destination without full knowledge of the opposition we may face and the pitfalls that might hold us.
Yet, those forces of opposition and those places of difficulty are often instrumental in shaping our lives so that we are effective servants in the places to which You lead us. Moments of despair are often transformed into moments of clarity and joy because of your presence with us and your intervention on our behalf.
We are not looking for trouble, God of mercy, but we pray that You will guide us to the places of service that You intend for us, even if there are many difficulties along the way. We trust You for the strength to endure and grow in faithfulness. Amen.
That our troubles will shape us for greater faithfulness
God of visions, how easy it is for us to become arrogant and insensitive when You have touched our lives and given us some vision of your future for us. And how quickly our lives seem to collapse around us when others respond to our sense of our own importance with jealousy and anger.
Even when You give us dreams, You do not show us every step of the path that lies before us. You direct us toward our destination without full knowledge of the opposition we may face and the pitfalls that might hold us.
Yet, those forces of opposition and those places of difficulty are often instrumental in shaping our lives so that we are effective servants in the places to which You lead us. Moments of despair are often transformed into moments of clarity and joy because of your presence with us and your intervention on our behalf.
We are not looking for trouble, God of mercy, but we pray that You will guide us to the places of service that You intend for us, even if there are many difficulties along the way. We trust You for the strength to endure and grow in faithfulness. Amen.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Prayer for July 31-August 6, 2011
Sermon Text: Genesis 32:22-31
That You will bring us gently to submission
You who meet us in the midst of our fearful schemes, who come to us during our nightmare hours, and wrestle with us, disable all of our efforts to resist You. Bring us to submission by whatever moves You must make.
We have failed in our efforts to make our own lives secure. We have failed to create the peace we desire. We have failed to root out the rebellion and anger that diminish us.
Yet we consistently turn from the trust You invite us to practice. We persist in attempting to shape and control our lives by our own ingenuity.
God, we know that You are able to overcome every obstacle to obedience and trust, even the resistance of our hearts. Do so with gentleness. Help us to acknowledge and take delight in your many provisions and acts of protection.
You are for us even when You oppose us. Though we see You dimly, we will trust in You. Amen.
That You will bring us gently to submission
You who meet us in the midst of our fearful schemes, who come to us during our nightmare hours, and wrestle with us, disable all of our efforts to resist You. Bring us to submission by whatever moves You must make.
We have failed in our efforts to make our own lives secure. We have failed to create the peace we desire. We have failed to root out the rebellion and anger that diminish us.
Yet we consistently turn from the trust You invite us to practice. We persist in attempting to shape and control our lives by our own ingenuity.
God, we know that You are able to overcome every obstacle to obedience and trust, even the resistance of our hearts. Do so with gentleness. Help us to acknowledge and take delight in your many provisions and acts of protection.
You are for us even when You oppose us. Though we see You dimly, we will trust in You. Amen.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Prayer for July 24-30, 2011
Sermon Text: Genesis 29:15-28
That we will recognize your direction in your gifts to us
Mysterious One, sometimes we work so hard, thinking that everything in life can be negotiated, that everything is under our control, until we are stymied by shrewd people and disruptive events that cause us to wonder and protest.
We frequently fail to see your hand in the unfolding of our lives until we recall events from a distance. Then, sometimes not even then, we see that you have provided us with direction and with gifts that we failed to recognize in the moment.
God, help us receive life as a gift from You. Help us remember that this gift is often surprising. Divert us from our attempts to manage life solely on the basis of negotiations for the things we desire. As we receive your good gifts, let us be quick to share them with others. Amen.
That we will recognize your direction in your gifts to us
Mysterious One, sometimes we work so hard, thinking that everything in life can be negotiated, that everything is under our control, until we are stymied by shrewd people and disruptive events that cause us to wonder and protest.
We frequently fail to see your hand in the unfolding of our lives until we recall events from a distance. Then, sometimes not even then, we see that you have provided us with direction and with gifts that we failed to recognize in the moment.
God, help us receive life as a gift from You. Help us remember that this gift is often surprising. Divert us from our attempts to manage life solely on the basis of negotiations for the things we desire. As we receive your good gifts, let us be quick to share them with others. Amen.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Prayer for July 17-23, 2011
Sermon Text: Genesis 28:10-19a
That we will answer your surprising presence with humble obedience
God of glory, in the midst of our fights and our flights, in the midst of places strange and unsettling dreams, You surprise us by your presence. You meet us where we had not expected to find You. You awaken us with awe and with a deep awareness of our own unholiness and inadequacy before you. You make promises and offer blessing as gracious gift beyond anything we could earn. You welcome us into your household.
We bow before You in humility. We worship You with gladness. We submit ourselves to You as obedient servants, but also as beloved children who are completely dependent upon You.
We rejoice in your blessing and we ask that You enable us to channel your love to many others, so they might know that they are blessed by You too. Amen.
That we will answer your surprising presence with humble obedience
God of glory, in the midst of our fights and our flights, in the midst of places strange and unsettling dreams, You surprise us by your presence. You meet us where we had not expected to find You. You awaken us with awe and with a deep awareness of our own unholiness and inadequacy before you. You make promises and offer blessing as gracious gift beyond anything we could earn. You welcome us into your household.
We bow before You in humility. We worship You with gladness. We submit ourselves to You as obedient servants, but also as beloved children who are completely dependent upon You.
We rejoice in your blessing and we ask that You enable us to channel your love to many others, so they might know that they are blessed by You too. Amen.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Prayer for July 10-16, 2011
Sermon Text: Genesis 25:19-34
That we will practice confident generosity as we trust in You
God, our Provider, we rejoice in the consistency of your provision for us. You have met all of our needs and You have given us one blessing after another. You have shown yourself trustworthy in all things, and You have enabled us to trust in You.
Forgive us when we lose sight of your ample provision and act as though we are in competition with each other, or in competition with our scattered sisters and brothers in faith. Help us see clearly that you have created enough for all of us. Help us open our hands to share with each other, so that all enjoy the sufficiency of your provision.
Help us keep perspective even in times of deprivation or difficulty. Do not let us make rash decisions, about momentary needs, that threaten our full participation in your eternal realm. Help us remember that You are with us, and that You will provide for us even as we open our hearts and hands to our brothers and sisters in their need. Enable us to live without anxiety before You. Amen.
That we will practice confident generosity as we trust in You
God, our Provider, we rejoice in the consistency of your provision for us. You have met all of our needs and You have given us one blessing after another. You have shown yourself trustworthy in all things, and You have enabled us to trust in You.
Forgive us when we lose sight of your ample provision and act as though we are in competition with each other, or in competition with our scattered sisters and brothers in faith. Help us see clearly that you have created enough for all of us. Help us open our hands to share with each other, so that all enjoy the sufficiency of your provision.
Help us keep perspective even in times of deprivation or difficulty. Do not let us make rash decisions, about momentary needs, that threaten our full participation in your eternal realm. Help us remember that You are with us, and that You will provide for us even as we open our hearts and hands to our brothers and sisters in their need. Enable us to live without anxiety before You. Amen.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Prayer for July 3-9, 2011
Sermon Text: Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
That we will seek your guidance for every endeavor
God, we praise you for your constant faithfulness to us! We rejoice that You have often answered our prayers before they have been completed in our minds or on our lips. We thank You for guiding our journey of faith. Even though your guidance was often hidden, in the moment, You consistently brought us to places of fulfillment and blessing prepared by You in your mercy.
Because You are trustworthy, we trust You with our lives. Because You are faithful, we have faith in You. We draw hope and strength from your promises to us and your presence with us.
Give us many opportunities to tell others about the ways You have been close to us and have guided us through the various turns in our journey. We glory in You, for You are glorious! Amen.
That we will seek your guidance for every endeavor
God, we praise you for your constant faithfulness to us! We rejoice that You have often answered our prayers before they have been completed in our minds or on our lips. We thank You for guiding our journey of faith. Even though your guidance was often hidden, in the moment, You consistently brought us to places of fulfillment and blessing prepared by You in your mercy.
Because You are trustworthy, we trust You with our lives. Because You are faithful, we have faith in You. We draw hope and strength from your promises to us and your presence with us.
Give us many opportunities to tell others about the ways You have been close to us and have guided us through the various turns in our journey. We glory in You, for You are glorious! Amen.
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