Pastoral Prayer for October 9, 2022

Loving God,

We continue to pray for all the people who are suffering from the

blatantly unjust war in Ukraine.  We continue to pray that President Putin

would respond to your Holy Spirit knocking at the door of his heart

begging for peace.

We confess today our tendency to wander,

to fall back on the same old patterns of violence and revenge

even when they bring the same old harm.

May we find comfort in remembering that you were also tempted.

You know what it’s like to have the evil one parade before you

all the glittering alternatives that lead to gloom in the end.

You were faithful to God’s vision and God’s call.

Help us to be faithful too.

May we find strength in knowing that you are with us

in our times of testing.

Protect us, as you’ve promised.

We will never not be human –

please don’t let us be tested beyond our ability to resist.

Throughout this week, draw us to yourself in mind and heart.

May we thrive in the simple joy of your presence –

listening for your leading, remembering your goodness,

turning away again and again from roads to nowhere.

Thank you for your promise to show us the real way out –

the way of creative nonviolence – and help us to take it.

Amen.