Jesus Understands Himself As The Embodiment of God’s Love

Pastoral Prayer for January 21, 2024

 

Our Pastoral Prayer this morning comes to us from Ted Loder:

 

Loving God,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ we have become​​ 

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ clever yet foolish,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ successful yet dissatisfied,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ likable yet lonely,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ hopeful yet resistant,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ charming yet vain,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ effusive yet profane,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ spiritual yet prayer-less.

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Weariness overwhelms us,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Renewal eludes us.

 

O God, please, do not weary of us.

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Draw near to us now,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ to forgive us,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ to loosen the strangle hold

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ of our doubts,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ to unmagnify our fears,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ heal our shame,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ comfort our impoverished spirits.

 

Set us free to forgive

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ ourselves,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ each other,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ our enemies,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ and to forgive you

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ for whatever grievances

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ we bear against you,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ that we may be reconciled.

 

Be new to us once more,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ that we become new for ourselves,

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ and for each other

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ and together try something new

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ for you and in your world;

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ for Jesus’ sake, and ours.

 

Amen.

Independent and United Church of Christ