Four-hundred-ninety-nine years ago tomorrow night, an obscure Augustinian monk tacked a list of ninety-five issues for debate to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany. Martin Luther was in a long line of prophets and reformers, including the prophet Isaiah, who sought to purify the worldwide religious community. May God speak to us as His prophets spoke of old, and may we listen for God’s chastening and redeeming word in the Sturm und Drang of human existence. Let us worship God.
Pastoral Prayer
We praise Thee, Lord God, for the prophetic souls who have preceded us in the community of faith, and especially on this particular Sunday for Isaiah and Martin Luther. We express gratitude that Thy word emerged through their words, and that they helped change the world for the better. Keep our ears attuned to voices of those who still make proclamations in Thy name, seeking to shape the world more completely into the beloved community. We are burned by the ferocity of their thoughts, but we are also blessed by the ways in which they convince us to change both our thinking and our actions. May contemporary prophets and sages continue to communicate Thy truths to us in the commonplace events of our existence together.
Once again we turn to Thee in prayer for those in our community and elsewhere who are still struggling hard against the damages they suffered from the hurricane. Give strength of body and spirit to all who feel overwhelmed by the ever-inexplicable caprice of the storm, and who suppose that somehow they were singled out for destitution or destruction. Be with community leaders, counselors, pastors, and others who seek to bring Thy comfort to people who feel greatly discomfited by what has happened to them. Grant to all of us, O God, a stronger spirit to withstand the winds and waves of happenstance which sweep over us from time to time.
We pray for those for whom Hurricane Matthew or similar disruptive forces have turned their lives into reservoirs of raging uncertainty. Grant faith to those whose faith has severely faltered, hope to those who have given up hope, and trust to those who think they can no longer trust anyone, even Thee. We thank Thee for the historic biblical community which calls us back to Thee in times of trouble. Give health to the sick, sight to the spiritually blinded, and perseverance to those who feel they are at the end of their ability to understand or to stand. We pray these things in the name of Jesus, the great shepherd of Thy sheep. Now we pray together, using the words Jesus taught his followers, saying, Our Father…