A prayer I offered at a recent morning worship service. (The first sentence is borrowed from another prayer in our hymnal.)
Listening God,
You hear our words before we speak and yet welcome our praying, therefore we lay our concerns before you now.
We pray for all those suffering in mind, body, and spirit. For those living in fear of an uncertain diagnosis and an uncertain future. For those silently suffering and for those losing hope. We pray they be surrounded by love and peace and a caring hand.
We prayer for the powers and principalities which inflict their unjust ways on the world, on its people and systems and ecologies. For all those who cause harm and deny the good. We prayer that your refining fire might burn in their hearts and incinerate their hate. We pray for people to not only speak truth to power, but to actively resist and demonstrate peaceful ways of living.
We pray for our congregation, for your beloved children of God and we continually walk in your way and discern what our life together in love might look like.
We pray with all those celebrating today – for minor accomplishments and for big. We pray for all those whose lives matter so much to us and for all the love they bring into our life. We prayer for those who offer care and support and service to our lives. Bless all these people.
We offer our deep gratitude for your listening ear and pray that we might share this listening love with all we meet.
Amen