Prayer for August 13-19, 2017 

Sermon Text: Genesis 37:1-36

That we may dream and enact your dreams for your people   

Giver of dreams, we rejoice that You occasionally allow us to see more than we can see with our eyes. You give dreams that hint at the way that our future may unfold. You give us glimpses of mysteries that can be embraced, but not easily told. You pull back a corner of the veil that hides your astonishing glory.

Sometimes, those of us who receive dreams act in arrogant ways. Some tremble in terror while others speak too much or build shrines to mark the places of your visitation.

Enable us to be dreamers of the dreams that You have for your people. Then enable us to live into those dreams by humble, but courageous action that is full of faith.  

We know that the dreams You give may unfold in wholly unexpected ways, but we accept such dreams as guidance and wisdom that exceed and eventually expand our understanding. Amen.

Prayer for August 6-12, 2017 

Sermon Text: Genesis 32:22-31

That our wrestling in darkness will heal our fears and enable more complete trust in You

God of all, be our peace!

When we wrestle in the darkness--wrestle our fears, ourselves, or You--bring us to our true selves.

Wound us, if You must, to heal us. Demolish our fears. Transform our deceitful ways. Teach us trust.

Enable us to see your glory even in the ambiguous struggle through which we clutch at something we cannot name and are held by a strength that we cannot escape.

Help us not to give up hope in the midst of struggle. Help us to persevere until we are able to name our relationship with You in a new way, even as You name us as your own. 

Enable us to move forward, then, confident of your enduring promises and your unfailing Presence. Amen. 

Prayer for July 30-August 5, 2017 

Sermon Text: Genesis 29:1-28

That we may receive your gifts with open hands and thankful hearts

God, our Guide, through the scriptures we see that You are concerned with every dimension of the lives of your covenant partners, and that You are constantly leading and shaping lives for fruitfulness and fidelity, even when your people have acted in deceitful or fearful ways.

We have acted in deceitful and fearful ways far too often. But You have led us to places of new life and new hope in spite of our actions. You have led us to places where love wells up from the depths of our being; where our deceitful ways meet their match and turn our faces to You in trust; where energetic work challenges us and generates resources that sustain us. 

Teach us not to manipulate others for our advantage, but to wait upon You so that we may receive your many gifts with open hands and thankful hearts. We trust in your guidance and provision!  Amen. 

Prayer for July 23-29, 2017 

Sermon Text: Genesis 28:10-27

That visions of your glory will move us to humble worship, trust, and fidelity

God, many of us are skilled at making our own lives difficult. We deceive and defraud those who are closest to us. We take flight from the truth and from the danger we have created by our deceit.

Somehow, our lies, our fears and fraud thrust us into the mystery of your presence. You meet us where we had not expected to find You, and we are both stunned and terrified as You reveal your glory to us.

We expect to be chastised, but You reiterate the covenant promises that You have made to generations of our ancestors in faith.

You promise unconditional blessing. But we want to bargain. We offer our fidelity and worship only when You fulfill the promises that You have already made to us. 

God of all, may we be humbled by our visions of your glory, so that we give You all the worship, trust, and fidelity that You are due. Amen. 

Prayer for July 16-22, 2017 

Sermon Text: Matthew 13:1-23

That we may be deeply rooted In You and abound in fruitfulness

Jesus, keep teaching us. Let your Spirit move within us to expand our knowledge and give us fresh understanding of your word. Enable us to be those who look, and do see, who listen, and do hear and comprehend your instruction.

But move us beyond seeing and hearing.  Heal any callouses that toughen our hearts and prevent your word of truth from penetrating our lives. Disentangle us from our many worries and our idolatrous dependence upon wealth that keep us looking everywhere, but to You, for satisfaction. Protect us from every threatening spirit that would snatch life away from us.

Till our lives so that we may be rooted deeply in You and abound in fruitfulness that brings glory to You. Shape our character so that the depth of our being is congruent with your presence and identity. Shape our action so that your compassion flows from us as freely as water from a clear spring. Let our communal practices of worship, witness and justice prepare many people to open themselves to your word and your presence.  

We know that only what we receive from You will generate the fruitfulness that You desire for us. We open our hearts, gladly, to receive. Amen.

Prayer for July 9-15, 2017 

Sermon Text: Genesis 24:34-67

That we may trust You when our faith is robust and when it falls flat

God, our Guide, sometimes we have great difficulty seeing the places where You are at work in our lives. Our trust diminishes. We falter along the way.

At other times, everything seems to fall into place with such ease, that our confidence in You is boosted, we follow without hesitation and tell about your provision for us in great detail and with abundant delight.

We trust You! We trust in your faithfulness and presence when our faith is robust and when it falls flat.

We trust You! We go where You send us and follow where You lead, even when the road seems rough, the mission difficult, and our resources inadequate.  

You have been faithful to your covenant with your people! You have answered our prayers! You have blessed our faithful efforts with many successes! You have given us fresh reasons to hope and trust in You. Amen.

Prayer for July 2-8, 2017 

Sermon Text: Matthew 10:40-42

That we may give hospitality with compassion and receive it with humility

God our Provider, enable us to be quick and generous in our offer of hospitality to those who follow Jesus. Enable us to see Jesus in them. And enable us to see You in Jesus.

But help us to welcome others too, to expand our hospitality so that all who come to us are welcomed among us. Enable us to be like You who send rain on the evil and the good, the just and the unjust.

As disciples of Jesus, enable us to accept with humility and gratitude the hospitality that is offered to us in various places. May we be bearers of your peace to all of those who welcome us. May we be a blessing to those who bless us. May we also be a blessing to those who do not bless us, but curse and insult and reject us because of our trust in You.

Enable us to act without calculating what our reward might be. Help us to offer generous hospitality as a practice of true compassion. Help us to not to be overly concerned about how others perceive our actions, but let our deepest desire be to bring honor and glory to You through our acts of hospitality. 

You have provided for us in so many ways. Enable us to provide for your people with the gifts that You have given us. Amen.