Prayer for September 20-26, 2020
Sermon Text: Exodus 16:1-15  

That we may follow your guidance with tenacity, hope, and joy  

God, our Deliverer, your presence is not always as clear to us as a pillar of fire and cloud, but help us to move in the direction of true freedom, as You guide us. Free our minds of nostalgia related to the various forms of bondage that we have endured. Help us to remember the many ways that You have acted on our behalf, so that we respond to the challenges of our journey with robust courage and unwavering hope. 

Enable us to voice our needs and concerns, even grievances, in direct, clear ways. Do not let us become stuck in our grumbling. Do not let us give up hope when our trials seem too much for us. 

Forgive us when we fail to trust You. Forgive us when we do give up hope that You will guide us into the future You have promised. Help us to discern what is true, good, and just. Forgive us when we accuse faithful leaders of leading us to our destruction. 

Enable us to obey your instruction and follow your guidance with tenacity, but also with hope and joy. Amen.

Prayer for September 13-19, 2020
Sermon Text: Exodus 14:19-31  

That we may be free of every form of bondage as we live in covenant communion with You  

God of freedom, guide us into true freedom that is based in trusting, following, and obeying You.  

Free us from the control of the false idols that we have shaped, or allowed others to shape for us – including wealth, social convention, a particular political point of view, military power, unlimited choice, and many other things. 

Free us from oppression, or, more likely in our case, oppressing others through the predatory actions of our corporations, economy, and military forces. 

Free us from our addictions and fears.  

Free us from the sins that often control us. 

Help us remember that You are able to undo every form of bondage. Let us call on your name, boldly, to free us from every snare. Help us to realize, and constantly remember, that our truest freedom comes from living in covenant communion with You and following You into the future of peace, justice, compassion, and delight that You are shaping for us. Amen.

Prayer for September 6-12, 2020
Sermon Text: Exodus 12:1-14 

That our memory of your works of salvation may energize us for faithful living  

God of the Exodus and God of the Cross, we rejoice in You. We rejoice in the works of salvation You have done on our behalf. We rejoice in the new creation that You have done among us. We rejoice in the way that You have bound us together and in the fact that You have provided resources that we may share as we remember You. 

Stir our memory so that we are always conscious of your acts of compassion and mercy on our behalf. Let our memory of your word and your action energize us for faithful living that demonstrates that You reign among us, even though we still await the fullness of that reign. 

Forgive us when we forget about your wonderful works on our behalf. Forgive us when we forget who we are. Forgive us when we forget that we are linked together as recipients of your generosity. 

Sharpen our memory. And let us express our freedom in You in acts of worshipful remembrance that are overflowing with joy. Amen.

Prayer for August 30-September 5, 2020
Sermon Text: Romans 12:9-21

That we may draw near to the life-giving gifts and relationships You have for us

God, our God, as You mercifully transform our lives, keep undoing the attachments that allow the world to shape us by values that do not mesh with the leadership and work of Jesus in our lives. Keep enabling us, by your Spirit, to be devoted to one another, honor one another, and live in harmony with one another.

Intensify our spiritual fervor so that it shows through in many kinds of loving action. Let us constantly move away from hatred and evil and draw near to the life-giving gifts and relationships You have designed for us.

Enable us to share our resources graciously. Enable us to practice daring hospitality and bless even those who persecute us. Let us be full of sympathy, so we may rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. 

Enable us to strive for peaceful relationships, even when that is deeply challenging. We rejoice in you! We give ourselves to You as your transformed people. Amen.

Prayer for August 23-29, 2020  
Sermon Text: Romans 12:1-8

That we may live in radically compassionate and welcoming ways

     O Merciful One, continue the work of transformation that You have begun in us. We are slow learners, slow to change, but do not give up on us. Keep speaking to us in that still small voice that can both frighten and comfort. Keep leading us by your Spirit into fresh experiences of faithful witness and service. Keep reminding us of the compassionate ways that Jesus responded to others. Keep showing us the faces of our sisters and brothers in faith, and enable us to nurture and strengthen each other. Keep expanding our vision so that we see many opportunities for doing good to neighbors near and far.
     Forgive us for our complicity in selfish, hurtful, divisive ways. Wean us from systems that thrive on deadly practices, and help us to live in radically compassionate and welcoming ways that make the presence of your reign more visible to others.
     Let everything that we do be done with gratitude and with your redeeming intention for all of creation in mind. Amen.

Prayer for August 16-22, 2020

Sermon Text: Genesis 45:1-15

That in all things we may live out our identity as your children

O God, our unseen Guide, thank You for walking through our trials and suffering with us. Thank You for not abandoning us and leaving us hopeless.

When we look back over our lives, enable us to see how You have guided us, how You have given us opportunities to serve You that have sometimes arisen out of painful experiences of mistreatment or abandonment. Enable us to see that You have remembered us even when others have forgotten us.

Prevent us from being bitter and vengeful toward those who have caused us grief. Prevent us from returning evil for evil. Enable us to answer evil with good, even when it is a challenge for us to do so. 

In all things, help us to remember and live out our identify as your children.  We thank You for the help and hope we receive from You. Amen. 

Prayer for August 9-15, 2020

Sermon Text: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28; 1 Kings 19:9-18; Matthew 14:22-33

That we may be led to the places You want us to be and do the things You call us to do

O God, disappointment, crisis, threat, and terror can arise quickly and unexpectedly in our lives. Sometimes there is no time to prepare, barely time to react. Sometimes we are just caught up in something from which we cannot extricate ourselves. At other times, there is a momentary sense of panic from which we cry out, “Help!” or “Save me!”

Sometimes the difficulties last but a moment, but sometimes they endure for long periods of time that try our patience and endurance.

All in all, we have learned that You are near. We have learned that You are able to sustain us and deepen our trust in the midst of our times of trial. Sometimes You grab us and pull us out of the chaos that threatens us, but most of the time You act in quiet, unseen ways to get us to where You want us to be in order to do what You have prepared us to do.  

We rejoice in the ways You have revealed yourself to us and the ways in which You have rescued us. Receive our praise and gratitude! Amen.