Everyone who ever lived has marveled at the very gift of life, with all its richness and zest and possibilities. But also, everyone who has ever lived either has died or shall die. Is death to be feared, or affirmed? Is it an enemy, or a friend? Circumstances greatly affect the answers to those questions. But in the midst of life and death God is with us, to guard us and strengthen us and to receive us to Himself. Therefore, with Christian confidence, let us worship the God of life and life eternal.
Pastoral Prayer
We praise Thee, O God and Father of us all, for granting us life, and for giving it to us in such abundance. When we compare our lives to others in other parts of the world, we realize how truly fortunate we are to be living in this particular country at this particular time in human history, and we know that we have done nothing to deserve our charmed lives. As we give Thee thanks for our good fortune, we also pray for those who are far less fortunate than we are: the very poor; those who have minimal health care and whose lives are constantly threatened by diseases which are easily warded off in our culture; for people who are faced with the turmoil of frequent violent political upheavals; and for people who face personal and social chaos when government agencies can exercise almost no control in situations of widespread crime and terrorism. Grant us deepened gratitude for our blessings, and heightened concern for the continuous instability of others.
We pray that Thou wilt forgive us for the ways in which we fail to do Thy will. We confess that we do not always ponder what Thy will might be in any situation, and we do what we want, not what we believe Thou wouldst want from us. Teach us how to become better instruments in Thy hands for Thy purposes, that we may better fulfill our purpose as Thy creatures in Thy world.
We ask Thy blessings to be with those in our own fellowship who currently are battling ill health, or who face new and difficult obstacles in their lives. Enable them not only to feel better and more confident, but also to experience more deeply the power of Thy transforming presence in their lives. Uphold others we know personally, both near and far, who are in trying circumstances. When we consider how much could go wrong for all of us, and how relatively little does go wrong for most of us, we realize how fortunate we are, and how we owe Thee constant thanks and praise. Keep us close to Thee, O God, for by ourselves we can wander far away. These and all our prayers we make in Jesus’ name. Now we pray together as he taught his first disciples, saying, Our Father….