FCCR-ACE Prayer Blog

Congregationalists Learning to Pray

Hi God,

Why does it seem
so much more fun
to watch TV programs
in which people kill each other,
that it is to watch people
dwell together in unity?

So my prayer today
is that all people be peaceful
that all people be open and receptive to others
that all people see the divine in others
that all people find meaning in their own lives
that all people be peaceful.

Also, please have mercy on my soul,
sinner though I seem to be.

Amen

Here I am Lord

I’ve been here a few times today and each time I went away
thinking

thinking

thinking I don’t really have anything to offer that’s any different than before
that’s new

or even a little bit interesting

BUT

then I thought about how frequently Owen will toss his arms around my waist and softly say “I love you” and it’s not new or different

BUT it is always

always

always welcome and appreciated and so Lord

I’m tossing my arms about your waist and gently offering up

“I love you”

Amen

Hi God,

While the days change
from one to the next
our concerns don’t seem
to change all that much.
Each day we worry:
    about what to have for supper
    about how we’ll pay next month’s rent
    about what our kids are doing
       —and we worry about whether
       we should worry about our kids or not—
    about being too hot or too cold
    about getting old
    about whether we’re wasting our lives
    about the practicalities of following Jesus
    … and so on.

So my prayer today
is that you help us just to be
…for this one day;
to see things as they are
to do things as they arise
to find joy in mere existence.

Also, please have mercy on my soul,
sinner though I worry about being.

Amen

God,
Why does Lent rush by each year,
without me accomplishing what I had hoped?
Why do I seem to bite off more than I have
time to chew properly?
The dentist even ground off part of a moler
the other day because my bite is causing other
teeth to move incorrectly (who knew?).
Maybe I need to learn to bite off less and chew
more carefully in order to reach my goals?
Help me to take smaller bites, Dear One.

Amen

Hi God,

We are now ¾ through Lent;
only ¼, or 10 days, to go.
Please help us remain faithful
for the full duration.

Also, please have mercy on my soul,
sinner though I be.

Amen