Sunday, September 14, 2014

General Prayer Pentecost 14 Proper 19a



Hear our prayer, O LORD!  Give ear to our pleas for mercy and answer us in Your righteousness:

In the midst of war and terror and violence, deliver us from our enemies and help us find refuge in You.  Guide our leaders as they make decisions and enact laws, that the wisdom and prudence You give would work for our common good.  Protect our military men and women and support their families.

When there is conflict in our families, set before us Joseph’s example and make us people of peace who are ready to forgive the transgressions committed against us.  When we are tempted to vengeance, remind us that we do not stand in Your place as judge but instead are called to deal kindly with all people.

We give You thanks that You have welcomed us into Your family through Holy Baptism and made us brothers and sisters in Christ.  Help us to set aside conflict over things that do not matter.  Bless our congregation and church body with peace and humility so that the way we treat one another would be a witness to the world as to the life we have in Your Son Jesus.

We praise You for Your great mercy in sending Your Son Jesus Christ to take upon himself the burden of our sin debt and pay it completely by his shed blood on the cross.  Having been forgiven this great debt, help us to forgive those who sin against us.

Be with us through all the trials and troubles of life.  According to Your wise, fatherly will, grant healing to those who are ill and meet the needs of those who suffer any lack of material goods.  Protect expectant mothers and grant them safe deliveries and healthy children.

Because Jesus Christ is the Lord of both the living and the dead, we know that those we love who die in the faith are never really lost to us.  We give You thanks for the life of Your servant Harry and pray that You would bring us safely to our heavenly home.

As we look forward to that day when every knee will bow before You, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, we pray that you would grant us a willingness to live for others and that You would keep us firm in our faith.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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