Prayers Based on Matthew 20:1-16
Jesus teaches on God’s generosity

Prayer of the Unemployed
My hope rises with the sun
I want to be hired, to be useful
I need the work

The day is passing
I need to be hired
I need to work
I have responsibilities and debts
I need to work to care for myself and my loved ones

The day is nearly gone
I have skills to offer, yet no one sees them
Why am I not valued?
Why am I not wanted?
The idleness eats my soul

The day is nearly done, as is my hope
Yet, you see me
You want me
You come for me

I give you what I have
The sweat of my brow
The labor of my limbs
The dreams of my heart
The weight of my needs
The hole of my soul

Help me to trust you in this lean time
Help me to trust worthy work is coming soon
With a boss as generous and honorable as you
Help me trust there is work to be done
all are wanted
all are needed
all are chosen

Help me hold on to hope
Stay here soul
Stay here

Prayer: Abundance, Provision, and Plenty
You are the God of ⁠
Abundance, Provision, and Plenty⁠
⁠
Yet⁠
So many do not have enough⁠
So many are burdened by far too much⁠
So many squander what they have⁠
So many do evil to get more⁠
⁠
The “many” include me⁠
Lord, have mercy
⁠
You are the God of ⁠
Abundance, Provision, and Plenty⁠
Increase the common good
Increase opportunity and stability
Increase your grace and goodness
in me and through me

Help me choose ⁠
Collaboration over competition
Gratitude over greed ⁠
Rest over hustle
Generosity over fear ⁠
⁠
Help me choose You and Your ways⁠
Your ways, always. Amen

______________

For the next few months, I’ll be posting prayers to accompany Bishop Ken Carter’s Bible Study on Facebook. Each week, Bishop Carter will bring in a guest to speak about the passage. We’ll be walking through the last chapters of the Gospel of Matthew. 

You’re most welcome to read along and to join this Facebook discussion group. You don’t need to be a Methodist or attend a Methodist church. All are welcome and all means all.

May the grace of God’s word, the challenge, and the call, inspire us to great faith and great good works in Jesus’ name. – Lisa <

Prayer for the Unemployed © 2017 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Abundance, Provision, Plenty © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
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