O God, thou who gives us the capacity for wonder and the sight to see the beauty that surrounds us; we praise you for the beauty of these fall days and for the gift of this glorious week. May this renewing weather be a reminder to us that the Holy Spirit is with us to open our eyes to beauty and to renew our broken relationships with one another.
Heal any spiritual blindness within us. Give us the sight of Jesus Christ that we might see new things and be delivered from any preoccupation with our trivial pursuits.
Forgive us when we become more concerned with how we impress others than in seeking after what pleases you. May your Law not remain rules written on stone tablets, but may it become part of the very fabric of our lives. Make that which is external, internal, that the lives we live might please you.
This morning, we pray for those whose week hasn’t been so beautiful. We pray for the many whose lives have been ravished by storm, earthquake, or war. Grant us the wisdom and the capacity to know how to best help bear their heavy burdens.
We pray for those who have faced the “flood of mortal ills prevailing” and have seen things that threaten to undo them. We pray for friends in our own congregation who today lack mobility because of age or illness.
Be our helper and constant companion. Deliver us from our ancient foe of despair. Strengthen both body and spirit. Restore to our memories the knowledge that the only thing that is permanent, that does last forever, is life in your kingdom.
We pray in the name of the One who brings the kingdom close to those he encounters, Jesus Christ our Lord who taught us to pray……
Amen.
By Bill Wallof
Prayer #197, Prayers of the People, A Collection
Scripture: Jeremiah 31:31-34