Pastoral Prayer
August 23, 2020
RKL
Gracious and loving God…accept our sincere thanks for the gift of life….For faith new and renewed….For all that you have given us in our birth….and for all that you give us in the richness of our unique earthly journeys.
We thank you most especially today for our confirmands. We are inspired by their growing faith…and we ask you to bless them, and all our young people and children… with the gift of your grace and Spirit, that they may build their lives on faith and love, on service and compassion, and on truth and a higher way. Protect them from those things and person who will try to squeeze them into molds that may be less than what is the best for them. Grant them the power of discernment to make good choices.
We thank you as well, today, for their families, and loved ones, and mentors…indeed for all the special people in their lives, who have led them in way of faith and love, by both word and example. Bless each one of them….and grant them the wisdom to continue their tasks of loving and teaching and modeling, as they continue to encourage their confirmands to follow in the way of teachings of Jesus Christ and as they grow and continue to become Christ’s disciples.
O God, as we think of journeying today, we pray for those whose way has been trying and difficult…and for those who don’t have the strength to travel on….especially during these uncertain and challenge times we are now facing. We pray in particular for those whose paths seem to continually spiral downward or seem to turn back upon themselves….through poverty, or injustice, or pain, or loneliness, or grief, or trials of soul, mind, memory, body.
We think especially this day of those we know personally who are struggling, and pray that your comfort, strength, courage, hope and peace will be with each of them and with all.
Hear, now, our silent prayers as we offer them up to you for others and for ourselves.
O God, strengthened by your limitless love, help us to face today with faith and confidence, and tomorrow with grace and openness. As we live, deliver us from the things that hold us back and help us to be mindful that we do not journey alone, that we have this family of faith that walks with us, and that indeed you are always present with us, and in our midst…and indeed that you always travel beside us throughout all of life.
All these things we pray in the name of Jesus…our friend, our savior, our model, and our teacher. Amen.