BINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 7, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,
as laboring for the Lord, not for human masters.
Colossians 3:23
O God Who Gives Us Purpose, multitudes need quiet rest from their work and are thankful for this Labor Day. May we pause to raise gratitude for those who labor on our behalf, especially those we rarely see: ones who harvest and gather our food; who deliver groceries and goods, who stock the shelves; firefighters, police, utility and mine workers, and all who undertake dangerous assignments; those who risk their own health by caring for the ill; those who comfort the sick and the dying; public servants who manage our towns, keep our streets clean, ensure our safety, administer our schools and educate our children. We pray for all willing workers upon whom our own lives depend.
God of Grace, hear our prayer.
Eternal Advocate, while we acknowledge these in service for the common good, we remember the many who have a heart for work, yet whose hands remain idle. Due to down-sizing or skills that have been ruled obsolete, their long search for employment has ended in emptiness. Make a way in the desert of despair for those waiting in hope for a chance to labor. For others who invest long hours in repetitive drudgery, create for them some avenue of purposefulness in their lives, where they can find the fullness and joy that you intend for all your children.
God of Grace, hear our prayer.
All-Seeing One, we confess that ours is a nation with undisguised flaws, a tarnished history, often operating with questionable motives. We are an imperfect people quarreling among ourselves and with our neighbors. You, however, have used our imperfections to bring about your good purposes in the world. In your mercy, continue to show us how our insatiable desire for goods greatly impacts those in impoverished regions, where many work in deplorable conditions for unjust wages. Forgive us, Lord, and remind us that when we take advantage of the less fortunate, we are wounding Christ, whose heart is moved when even the gentle sparrow falls.
God of Grace, hear our prayer.
And to you, Holy One, who never take a respite, we humbly name our praises for the wonders you have brought about in our lives; and also we lift our deepest concerns to your wisdom and mercy, knowing your love has no end:
- Grateful for prayers: a sister’s leg injury did not require amputation
- Prayers appreciated: elderly mother died peacefully on Friday
- Happy couple offer gratitude for their 60th wedding anniversary
- Gratitude: mother with leukemia is able to continue chemotherapy
- Thanksgiving: member with painful shingles is almost well
- Family celebrates the birth of a beautiful baby boy on Friday; please continue prayers for healing of a heart complication
- Prayers for one in court proceeding this week, for dismissal of case
- Cherished mother in hospice care at home & her family standing by
- That hunger may be alleviated by generosity – September is Hunger Action Month
- Recovery from Covid-19 for 2 sons in college
- Mercy to surround a very ill wife in assisted living & her grieving husband
- Comfort for member mourning the untimely death of longtime friend
- Healing mercies for 2 families with multiple members ill with virus
- Lift up a wife suffering from addictions & her husband trying to help
- Prayers for young father in need of new cancer treatment
- Ill & lonely loved ones in nursing facilities & their families struggling to make wise decisions on their behalf
- Family mourning the accidental death of beloved father last week
God of Grace, hear our prayer.
Give us a heart to labor in your service, for we are never too young or too old, too rich or too needy, to bring your good news, to extend a hand to the broken-hearted, to offer hope to the forlorn. As we are linked together by your love, may all our works glorify your name. For Christ’s sake, we make our prayer.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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All are welcome at Church Street! We believe every person is of sacred worth and created in God’s image. We welcome and celebrate the gifts God has given to all persons without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender, disability, status, economic condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religious affiliation. We respect diversity of opinion and expressions of Christian faith. We believe God loves everyone unconditionally! As God loves us, so let us love and serve in the name of Christ.
Prayer for Today – September 17
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 17, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O Gracious One, as we begin our morning, may your praise be among the first words we speak. Your extending to us another day is a gift in itself, for within these hours ahead you will open new doors, bring us into contact with new faces, and offer new opportunities to serve as followers of your Blessed Son. In whatever circumstance we find ourselves, may others observe us as your servants alone, nothing more, nothing less. And when we respond with the kindness, warmth, and joy of Christ, may his holy essence be reflected, and be counted as our humble gift to you.
Lord of Life, hear our prayer.
Holy Deliverer, in spite of your benevolence, we ask forgiveness for our binding ourselves too tightly to this transient life of ours. Our good earth is a wondrous place filled with glories and mysteries that defy description, yet we have marred much of the natural world you created and offered freely for our sustenance. We have failed to live in peace with our neighbors both near and far, forgetting that your creation is their gift as well. We have caused great harm to those whose appearance and customs differ from our own and we are too easily swayed by that which glitters, taking the easy route instead of accepting the challenge of working for the good of the whole. Lift our eyes from our egocentric existence to that world that you envision, where all are equal, where all lifeforms are sacred.
Lord of Life, hear our prayer.
Our own present turmoil is no secret from you, Omniscient One. Covid-19, our most formidable foe, has insinuated itself into every corner of our lives, leaving grave economic and social losses in its wake. Governments appear unable to quell the pulsing hatred and havoc played-out on backroads and city streets. Wrecking lives and property, wind, storm, and fire continue unabated. We are a people in pain, and we long for peace and restoration. Lead us, we pray, to that avenue of healing.
Lord of Life, hear our prayer.
As a community of faith, we wrestle with our questions and uncertainties in these tenuous times; but we know in our hearts, O Lord, that you will see us through whatever befalls. And holding fast to your mercy, we mention these most salient concerns of our brothers and sisters of Church Street:
Lord of Life, hear our prayer.
How blessed we are that you are our Loving Parent, who encourages us to stay the course even when the we cannot know what lies ahead. The fact that you believe in us is encouragement sufficient to steady us as we travel in the name of Jesus, and to pray as he taught us:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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Prayer for Today – September 16
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 16, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
These things I have spoken to you so that my joy may be
full in you, and that your joy may be made full.
John 15:11
Wellspring of Joy, sometimes pure joy wells up within us when we least expect it. We did not plan on its appearance, nor could we manufacture it. The bright face of a child, the sunset that lingers in our minds even when night has drawn its dark curtain, the hand held out in friendship when we did not even realize it was what we most needed – such are the treasures that make life worth the living. Your joy, O Lord, often glides over us, as some exotic bird, sweeping through our days that we have rendered humdrum. What a Rare One you are, winging your way among us, dusting us with feathered delight.
Lord of Love, hear our prayer.
God of Great Forbearance, by your gentle touch, we are mindful of our failures, but know that our mistakes do not have the last word. You still count on us, flawed as we are, to be at work for the good of your kingdom. As a church community bound together by your mercy, grant us individually and corporately, the power to speak and live in ways that reflect the fullness of Christ’s love and joy. As our hearts are restless until we find our peace in you, so is your own heart restless until all your children of every race and tribe are gathered in, safe under your wide wings.
Lord of Love, hear our prayer.
Our spirits rise heavenward when we remember your abiding care for us. And as you are that Constant Friend, we humbly relay our thankfulness for the mercies you have granted us in recent times. Receive them in your grace, and also these concerns from the hearts of your friends at Church Street:
Yes, there are wars and rumors of wars; yes, there is rampant corruption and crime; yes, there are many with vile and vicious hearts. But we are a kingdom people, people of the resurrection. We trust, despite the calamities and injustices of this world, that there will come a time when goodness renders evil but a thin and feeble vapor. At such a time, all our joy will be complete; and our voices shall be lifted skyward in praise of our Redeemer, who taught us to pray:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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Prayer for Today – September 15
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 15, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
From your heavenly chamber, O God, you visit us in the sailing beauty of the clouds, in the soft sound of the falling leaf, in the crispness of morning air, in the river’s rinsing current, in the warm sun’s rising and setting as we spin through space. May we rest today in your Great Mystery, remembering that our time here is brief—barely long enough to craft a meager prayer of thanksgiving for your grace. But you hear even the muffled praises of our hearts, and we know you listen now . . . . . . . .
Lord of Life, hear our prayer
O Bearer of our Grief, this morning, with all humility, realizing your love for us, we bring before you our deep needs: for healing from our sicknesses and sorrows, for reconciliation with those we have harmed, for resolution within our battle-scarred nation, for peace to rule in our hearts. Especially give hope to those in mourning, who ache for voices now silent, who long for arms that can no longer embrace, who are picking up the pieces of dreams unfulfilled. Make a way for them and for each of us in our dry valleys and lead us to that place where your Loving Spirit will triumph.
Lord of Life, hear our prayer.
Attend also, we pray, to these personal joys and sincere requests offered from your children at Church Street UMC:
Despite our defeats and our difficulties, Renewing God, we believe you can still fill us with new purpose and that you can enliven us to be ambassadors of life abundant. In your mercy, breathe in us, that we might join in your song of hope, singing of the One whose love is unending, ageless, and eternal.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Have a Prayer Request?
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Prayer for Today – September 14
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 14, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
O Great Seeker, we praise you for never abandoning your search for us. You surround us with wonders of creation while we are looking the other way. You see us laboring for that which does not satisfy; time and time again you nudge us back toward the true course. May this be the day we seek you out in the corners of our lives, realizing that you will meet us half-way. We will recognize you as the old friend with outstretched arms, ready to share our lives again, ready to pick up where we left off all those years ago.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
All-knowing One, you understand who and what we are. Before any words are uttered, you know already what it is that delights our hearts, and what saddens and disturbs us. You are aware of the harsh and bitter words we have spoken and the ways in which we have hurt others. May we reach down into the depths of our souls and deal with the prejudice and indifference that we have long harbored. Hear our private confessions which we now offer to your ear alone . . . . . . . Jesus said: I forgive you; I love you; Go and sin no more. Write those words upon our hearts, we pray, that we might turn our backs on what is past, rising to move forward in newness.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of All Hopefulness, when we turn to you, the Rock that shelters us, we know we are safe from all that threatens. As you have brought goodness our way, we offer deepest thanks. And with hopeful hearts we lay before you all these prayers from our church family. For certain we are often weakened and tense, but we believe in the One who will answer us in due time, and will turn our mourning into dancing:
May the Light of God keep us, the power of God sustain us, and the caress of God heal us. And may each day ahead see a deepening of our gratitude and commitment, that our very lives might become signs of the kingdom for which we pray:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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Prayer for Today – September 10
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 10, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Whoever drinks this water I shall give will never be thirsty again;
the water I shall give will turn into a spring inside him,
welling up to eternal life.
John 4:14
Stream of Life, we remember the time Jesus sat beside the lonely woman under the noonday sun. He told her about the living water that quenches the deepest thirst. She was confused, and we confess we are often that way ourselves. In our search for that which satisfies, we seek out the posh and preppy drink; but our throats remain as parched as the lonely lady’s. Open our eyes to see the cup of astonishment you hold out from your quiet corner, for it is drawn from that deep river that rolls on forever. Hold out that brimming cup once more, for we know it never empties.
Living Lord, hear our prayer.
Brook of Healing Waters, today we draw close to your soft banks, seeking respite from the world’s roaring banter. Be for us that grassy place where we might be soothed by the cool moss and the rippled hum of your river music. It is your seamless rhythm that affirms your constancy. And as we rest, we reflect upon all those things that weigh us down: our regrets . . . . . our sorrows . . . . . our dashed hopes . . . . . Create a wide pool on our shore, deep enough to cover all our disappointments, and we shall drop them in one by one. In your current of mercy, wash clean that which may be worthy of salvage and sink whatever is of little value within us — never to plague us again.
Living Lord, hear our prayer.
Bathed in your generosity, we recognize your hand in the personal wonders that you have brought our way in recent times . . . . . .; and we also bring our concerns to you, our Well of Life:
Receive our prayers this day, Living Lord, and fill us until your liquid ribbon of grace flows steadily inside us. May it well up to become a clear blessing to those who seek our Redeemer, who taught us to pray in this way:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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Join us for a midday devotion
Rev. Tim Best will share a devotion at noon today on our Facebook page. Please click here to join us!
Prayer for Today – September 9
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 9, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
We have learned, O Lord, that there are periods when aloneness must be honored, for we can always sense the urgency of our souls to catch up with our frenetic pace. It is only in apartness that we can find your rest. Yet, there is also something within us that truly rejects continued isolationism. Especially during these months of social distancing, we have been reminded of our deep need for relationship. We have come to realize how our lives are profoundly intertwined with our relatives, friends, and colleagues. Our faith community, we now know, is a most precious part of our existence. Thank you, Lord, for this bond which continues to sustain us, even while we are physically apart.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
As a wise one once said: “Community may be the very door through which one enters the Holy of Holies, where God dwells.” And maybe it is your own holiness within others that pulls us closer to them. We ponder today about those in our church community who have shown us the door to you: those who led us through our fledgling faith . . . . . those who encouraged us along the way . . . . . those who allowed us to ask the hard questions . . . . . those who included us in outreach endeavors . . . . . those who prayed with us . . . . . those whose love of Christ was visible in all they did or said . . . . . Where would we be today without these dear souls? For each of them, alive in this realm or in the next, we are forever thankful.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O One Who Beckons, since you have called us into relationship, may we offer ourselves anew as your vessels within our community of faith. Who might need a note of gratitude? Who might be in need of encouragement? Who longs for a phone call? Who may be hungry? Who is confused or frightened? In whatever avenue you choose, Lord, lead us to those who wait in hope.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
As your faithfulness falls afresh upon your people, we offer our thanksgivings for your countless favors; and we also name our personal challenges and burdens that are presently weighing us down:
O Portal of Life, as you already live in our hearts, we pray that whatever we attempt to do in your name today might somehow open the door that leads another to you. And should he or she find the way to your holiness through such a word or deed, may it be to your everlasting glory. With all devotion, we offer these prayers in the name of Jesus the Christ who taught us to pray:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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Prayer for Today – September 8
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 8, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Hope of the World, summer is behind us, yet you still send blossom-scented winds across the lawn. Riots rage in the darkness, but morning still gives way to the long yellow fingers of the sun. Destruction and death walk our streets, but still you raise up people who breathe out hope. We know, O God, although you are hidden from our eyes, that you are never far away, and that you are moving to liberate us, even saving us from ourselves. In your quiet way, you are setting in motion your plan of redemption. Open us and our nation to that plan, O Lord, despite our fears and anxieties. Open us to that plan, even if it comes in a way not of our own choosing!
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
God Who Speaks to Every Age, Jesus blessed the poor in spirit, saying theirs was the kingdom of heaven. In making this proclamation, was he reflecting only upon the sad and shabby who surrounded him that afternoon? Or was he perhaps speaking to those of us who, even today, are not poor, but who have too much? Could he have meant that if we empty ourselves of our many possessions, our pretense, our clamoring to get ahead, our cynicism, we might find the true blessing that comes with emptiness? Sweeping out the spirit – where shall we begin?
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Especially, O Faithful One, we pray for those who are sick and dying, for those whose debts keep them awake at night, for those who are hungry, for those separated from loved ones, for all enduring the pain of divorce, for those who are in danger. Touch each with your love, and lead us to tend to those who long for someone who cares. Send your grace as well to these members of our church family who cry out for help; and receive our offers of thanks for the myriad of ways you are already tending your flock:
Thank you, Holy One, for sharing our pain, for bearing our grief, for reminding us that sorrow will never have the final word. May our hearts overflow with gratitude for the gifts you offer from your own heart.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We almost always feel the need to apologize for our immature and wandering prayers, Listening God, but remind us that you do not judge our poor phraseology or faulty sentence structure. You only desire that we seek your companionship and that we arrive with sincere hearts. May we always come in that true and humble spirit that was so evident in your Son Jesus, who gave us these words to pray:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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Prayer for Today – September 7
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 7, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,
as laboring for the Lord, not for human masters.
Colossians 3:23
O God Who Gives Us Purpose, multitudes need quiet rest from their work and are thankful for this Labor Day. May we pause to raise gratitude for those who labor on our behalf, especially those we rarely see: ones who harvest and gather our food; who deliver groceries and goods, who stock the shelves; firefighters, police, utility and mine workers, and all who undertake dangerous assignments; those who risk their own health by caring for the ill; those who comfort the sick and the dying; public servants who manage our towns, keep our streets clean, ensure our safety, administer our schools and educate our children. We pray for all willing workers upon whom our own lives depend.
God of Grace, hear our prayer.
Eternal Advocate, while we acknowledge these in service for the common good, we remember the many who have a heart for work, yet whose hands remain idle. Due to down-sizing or skills that have been ruled obsolete, their long search for employment has ended in emptiness. Make a way in the desert of despair for those waiting in hope for a chance to labor. For others who invest long hours in repetitive drudgery, create for them some avenue of purposefulness in their lives, where they can find the fullness and joy that you intend for all your children.
God of Grace, hear our prayer.
All-Seeing One, we confess that ours is a nation with undisguised flaws, a tarnished history, often operating with questionable motives. We are an imperfect people quarreling among ourselves and with our neighbors. You, however, have used our imperfections to bring about your good purposes in the world. In your mercy, continue to show us how our insatiable desire for goods greatly impacts those in impoverished regions, where many work in deplorable conditions for unjust wages. Forgive us, Lord, and remind us that when we take advantage of the less fortunate, we are wounding Christ, whose heart is moved when even the gentle sparrow falls.
God of Grace, hear our prayer.
And to you, Holy One, who never take a respite, we humbly name our praises for the wonders you have brought about in our lives; and also we lift our deepest concerns to your wisdom and mercy, knowing your love has no end:
God of Grace, hear our prayer.
Give us a heart to labor in your service, for we are never too young or too old, too rich or too needy, to bring your good news, to extend a hand to the broken-hearted, to offer hope to the forlorn. As we are linked together by your love, may all our works glorify your name. For Christ’s sake, we make our prayer.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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Prayer for Today – September 3
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 3, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord …
plans to give you hope and a future
Jeremiah 29:11
Hope of the World, you have called to us through the eons to take on your ministry of hope. To the world’s question: “Is this all there is?” we are to offer a resounding “No!” You have blessed us to become a blessing to those who are crying out for the food that satisfies and nourishes, the Bread of Life. We are not worthy of your trust and we often suffer from anxiety and cower in fear. Still, you have issued the invitation and, though trembling, we have accepted. You hope in us and we pray to be faithful. Yours is such a high calling that it keeps us on our knees.
Lord of All, hear our prayer.
O Voice of Solace, yes, there is much to cause our misgivings and apprehension in this era of rampant illness and chaos. But might you offer a respite from our weariness? What would it be like if we deserted our anxieties just for awhile? What if we avoided all those who fanned the flames of our fears? What if we shunned the broadcasts that heighten our alarm? What if we sought out only those voices of calm, confidence, and affirmation? What strange solace might permeate our spirits if at least one day each week we took complete refuge in the knowledge and love of God? Holy One, might you help us arrange such a time of regular renewal?
Lord of All, hear our prayer.
God of Tender Mercies, we glorify you for your mercy in receiving the pleas of our hearts. We celebrate all these personal gifts you have made possible in our lives . . . . . ; for those special ones you have sent to lighten our load . . . . . ; and for the reconciliations you have made possible . . . . . Hear also the deep cares that live in our hearts . . . . . And also attend to these joys and specific needs of those in your Church Street family:
Your ways, O God, are indefinable, but we count you as our Greatest Hope, lenient in your mercy and bounteous in your compassion.
Lord of All, hear our prayer.
May our voices join with all your people throughout the earth, as we offer that prayer of Love’s Community, created and sustained through our Savior, Jesus Christ:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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Prayer for Today – September 2
prayer for todayBINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
September 2, 2020
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
And let us know be weary in well doing, for in
due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal. 6:9
Abiding God, we praise you for your enduring guidance. You sent Jesus, our Teacher and Messiah, to model for us the way of love. He asked us to seek out the least and the lost, to feed the hungry, to comfort the sick, to befriend the stranger and the outcast, to sow peace where there is strife, and to speak out for justice. Our efforts have been life-long, as you know, but in many ways we feel we have made such little difference. Thank you, Lord, for overlooking our meager crop. Remind us that the growing season is not quite over, and if we continue to tend the plantings, the good harvest will come.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God Beyond Our Understanding, although we strive for the good, we wonder why those old scraps of failure linger. Life is truly a muddle and we see our gaffes and blunders standing out quite vividly in our memory. It’s as if all those dark pieces are lying face-up on a table. Your hand of grace is at work, however, snapping those pieces together with our brighter moments: the light and the dark, the good and the bad, the extraordinary and the mundane, the losses and the gains. Surprisingly, the pieces fit together nicely and a surprising picture begins to take shape. And we glimpse a certain beauty and peace reflected, as in a soothing landscape. Imprint that scene within us, we pray; then we will know in the end that the apostle’s teaching was correct: “All things work together for good for those who love the Lord.”
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We come into your presence to name those things that are uppermost in our hearts. You already know our deepest joys and our keenest hurts, yet you are eager to listen as we share our thoughts with you. For your benevolence in recent times, we humbly thank you, and for our concerns, we implore your mercy, particularly for . . . . . . . . . . . To these we add the joys and the trials of our people at Church Street:
O God of Possibilities, look with favor upon each one who calls out to you this day. We know you hear even the briefest plea uttered in your name. Illumine our hearts and renew our waning spirits as we again pray the words taught us by our Blessed Savior:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
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