Pastoral prayer, April 19, 2015
Rev. Chris Caldwell
Broadway Baptist Church, Louisville
O God, you sustain us in so many ways
Air to breathe
Food to eat
Money to spend
Sustain us by granting us
Friends
Family
Healthy bodies
Clear minds
For these gifts, we offer you our thanks.
And today we ask you to sustain us also by granting us your grace
Grace to see clearly
Grace to confess honestly
To decide wisely
Cry sincerely
Forgive freely
Heal fully
Mourn hopefully
And grace even to laugh heartily
Hear our prayers today for those who may feel distant from your grace. May you grant grace to:
Those whose bodies are so broken they find it difficult to imagine healing
Those whose grief is so deep, they find it hard to see hope on the horizon,
Those whose loneliness is so profound, they find it hard to see friends in their future
Those whose guilt is so troubling, they find it hard to accept mercy for their sin.
And hear our prayers for those who remain far from you
May they discover the truth that you are their rock and their foundation
And if they are in need of a guide, may we not be bashful in offering our help.
And we pray these words not as perfect people
We have sins enough to confess; this is sure
We have wandered far from your path; this is sure
But sure, too, is your grace and your forgiveness
And so now we claim that grace
and we claim your sustaining strength, as we prayer the prayer your son taught us to pray…..