Tag Archives: sorrow

Prayer for Louisiana and Afghanistan

Posted on by
Reply

Prayer for Haiti and Cuba (2)As we gather for worship, we recognize the deep pain of our world- Haiti, Cuba, the fires out west, Louisiana, Afghanistan, and so many other places.⁠
⁠
We join those who mourn the tremendous loss of life and home ⁠
⁠
ALL: Holy One, we trust you weep with us. ⁠Your healing, saving work continues. ⁠
⁠
Hear our cry for those who continue to live in destruction, violence, and oppression. Those running to a new home in a new place. And all who are welcoming the refugees ⁠
⁠
ALL: Holy One, we trust you welcome them. ⁠Your healing, saving work continues. ⁠
⁠
Hear our cry for American and Afghan families as they cry for their loved ones who died in the terror attack on the Kabul airport, as they pray those who remain are safe, as they wonder about 20 years of war and the future of that land.⁠
⁠
Hear our cry for those in the path of Hurricane Ida as they cry for the powerful storm to lessen, as they pray those who remain are safe, as they wonder about the destruction to come on the anniversary of Katrina.⁠
⁠
ALL: Holy One, we trust you never abandon. Your healing, saving work continues. ⁠
⁠
Hear our cry for your work of peace to be fulfilled.⁠
No more war⁠
No more storms⁠
⁠
No more tears⁠
No more separation⁠
⁠
No more evil⁠
No more devastation⁠
No more death⁠
⁠
Jesus, save us from helplessness⁠
Strengthen our minds, our bodies, our resolve. ⁠
We trust we are part of your healing, saving work. ⁠
⁠
Jesus, save us from overwhelm⁠
Strengthen our faith, our hope, our calling.⁠
We trust the triumph of your goodness and grace.⁠
For you are the Resurrection and the Life. ⁠
Amen. ⁠
⁠______________

Prayer for Louisiana and Afghanistan © 2021, Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

Prayer for the 20th Anniversary of the September 11th Attacks

Posted on by
9
fireman-100722_1920

Image by David Mark via Pixabay

We come together with persons all over the world to remember the day our world changed. We come together in faith, in hope, in God’s infinite love.

Heavenly Father, we commend to your mercy and grace all who died in the September eleventh attacks and all who have died in the past twenty years while laboring to end terrorism.

In New York City: 2,342 persons
In Arlington, Virginia: 184 persons
In Shanksville, Pennsylvania: 40 persons
411 New York City rescue workers that day plus so many more from the aftereffects
Thousands of military personnel and civilians in the following years of war

Over 70 countries lost loved ones that day: family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors, heroes. In the face of all this loss we claim your grace, your faithfulness, and your power to bring good out of evil.

Compassionate One, it’s been twenty years, yet the pain is fresh and the need is great. Comfort all who continue to mourn the loss of loved ones. Come with assurance and peace for all who remain traumatized, anxious, or fearful for the future. Come with protection and freedom for all who continue to live in the midst of hostility and oppression.

Bring wholeness and hope to every broken place- to broken bodies, broken hearts, and broken spirits. To broken relationships, broken systems, and broken faith.

Draw together leaders of every nation. Give them ears to hear your wisdom and the courage to respond. Inspire them to work together for peace, justice, and freedom. Inspire us, too.

Strengthen all who risk their lives to protect others. Guard and favor all who work to make your world a place of peace. Guard and guide us, too.

God of the Nations, hear our prayer for our enemies and for ourselves. Help us love and pray for those who hate us. We claim your abiding, your humility, and your strength as we strive to fulfill this call.

Save us from revenge, false teaching, and blind suspicion. Help us recognize our contributions to conflict. Help us understand the hurt that feeds the hate.

Change the hearts of all who seek their way by evil and violent means, by coercion and corruption and privilege, including our own. Create in us clean hearts that beat with your unconditional compassion.

Leave no one in the shadows of evil and death, O God.
Fill us all with your light and make us all instruments of your peace.

Our world remains a dangerous place, O God, but with you there is shalom and hope. With you there is persevering and purpose. You are our Rock, our Shield, our Defender forever.
Amen.
______________

9/11 Anniversary Prayer © 2011, Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia and Nicole Sallee
Updated 2021

You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

Prayer for the 19th Anniversary of September 11th Attacks

Posted on by
Reply

911-terror-attacks_3036315kWe come together with persons all over the world to remember the day our world changed. We come together in faith, in hope, in God’s infinite love.

Heavenly Father, we commend to your mercy and grace all who died in the September eleventh attacks and all who have died in the past nineteen years while laboring to end terrorism.
In New York City: 2,342 persons
In Arlington, Virginia: 184 persons
In Shanksville, Pennsylvania: 40 persons
411 New York City rescue workers that day plus so many more from the aftereffects
Thousands of military personnel and civilians

Over 70 countries lost loved ones that day: family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors, heroes. In the face of all this loss we claim your grace, your faithfulness, and your power to bring good out of evil.

Compassionate One, it’s been nineteen years, yet the pain is fresh for many. Comfort all who continue to mourn the loss of loved ones. Come with assurance and peace for all who remain traumatized, anxious, or fearful for the future.

Bring wholeness and hope to every broken place- to broken bodies, broken hearts, and broken spirits. To broken relationships, broken systems, and broken faith.

Our world remains a dangerous place, O God, but with you there is safety and shalom. With you there is hope. You are our Rock, our Shield, our Defender forever.

Draw together leaders of every nation. Give them ears to hear your wisdom and the courage to respond. Inspire them to work together for peace, justice, and freedom.

Strengthen all who risk their lives to protect others. Guard and favor all who work to make your world a place of peace.

God of the Nations, hear our prayer for our enemies and for ourselves. Help us love and pray for those who hate us. We claim your abiding, your humility, and your strength as we strive to fulfill this call.

Save us from revenge, false teaching, and blind suspicion. Help us recognize our contributions to conflict. Help us understand the hurt that feeds the hate.

Change the hearts of all who seek their way by evil and violent means, by coercion and corruption, including our own. Create in us clean hearts that beat with your unconditional compassion.

Leave no one in the dark, O God.
Fill us all with your light and make us all instruments of your peace.
Amen.
______________

9/11 Anniversary Prayer © 2011 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia and Nicole Sallee
Updated 2020
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

Two Prayers Based on Luke 22-23

Posted on by
Reply

summer in the scriptures luke (4)

Prayer based on Luke 22:39-46
Jesus prays in Gethsemane

This night is so heavy
So dangerous
So far beyond control

And we’re so heartbroken
So disappointed
So tired

Our sorrow draws us to sleep
We try to pray
One eye open
But we don’t last long

We’ve been hopeful, only to fall again
Nothing works
Nothing changes
We’ve tried and failed and tried and failed and tried…

So we sleep our sorrow-full sleep

You sorrow, too
But in your sorrow you keep watch
You question and comply with God’s call
You wrestle in prayer
And go back in for another round and another

Pray for us
Awaken us
Help us choose the same

Tell me, Dear Tree
A Lenten prayer/poem of sacrifice
Based on Luke 23, The Crucifixion of Christ

If you want to sing this, the meter is 86.86 double (CMD)
Suggested tune: KINGSFOLD (United Methodist Hymnal #179)

Tell me dear tree on which my Lord,
My blessed Lord did hang,
How could you hold the spotless Lamb,
Be party with the gang?
That cheerless day, that shadowy hour,
My blessed Savior died,
To free my soul for heavenly things,
O tree, you must have cried.

Yes all your fibers must have screamed
For you one time did live
A green and growing tree, alive,
But your whole self did give
To be the instrument of death,
To be the very tree
To be the place for Christ to die
Upon dark Calvary

Wait! Do I hear a shout of joy
From somewhere deep within?
Your duty done; the battle won
So all the world might win.
How beautiful your love for Him.
He sewed it long ago
You bore the weight. You took the stain,
And now the world must know

The tree of death felt every wound,
Felt all the pain and loss.
She loved her maker through it all,
Was glad to be His cross.
Teach me dear tree on which my Lord,
My precious Lord did die
To treasure grueling duties done
So Christ is lifted high

_______________

For the next few months, I’m reading a chapter from the Gospels each day. This is part of the Summer in the Scriptures reading plan sponsored by the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. Click Here for the reading plan.

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

As part of the Facebook group, I’ve been supplying prayers based on the day’s reading. Feel free to post your prayers and observations based on the readings here or there as well.

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

Gethsemane Prayer © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Tell Me, Dear Tree © 2009 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

A Prayer for Storm Survivors

Posted on by
2
Jesus Calms the Storm by the Benedictine Sisters of Turvey Abbey

Jesus Calms the Storm by the Benedictine Sisters of Turvey Abbey

The knowledge that we are never alone calms the troubled sea of our lives and speaks peace to our souls. – A. W. Tozer

I am grateful Taylor Burton-Edwards for making excellent suggestions to improve this prayer.

A Prayer for Storm Survivors
Jesus, we see you calming storms-
storm-tossed seas and stormy lives.
Extend your power and grace again,
especially upon these most recent storm victims.

Speak peace and healing over bodies and spirits broken by the chaos.
Jesus, speak peace. Silence

Speak peace and hope over families and communities devastated by sudden loss.
Jesus, speak peace. Silence

Speak peace and unity over diverse groups of people
bring them together for greater provision,
just distribution, and effective rebuilding.
Jesus, speak peace. Silence

Speak peace and protection over rescue workers
as they reach out to those who are suffering.
Jesus, speak peace. Silence

Speak to us, moving our prayer to action⠀
Jesus, speak, we are listening. Silence ⠀

You are the Prince of Peace.
You are the Resurrection and the Life.
You are strong to save.
Our hope and trust are in you. Amen.

*************
A Prayer for Storm Survivors © updated 2019, Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution. Please leave a comment below for information and permission to publish this work in any form.