Another hurricane comes our way. This time most of us were entirely spared significant damage, but millions of others have suffered major and minor losses. By now it should be obvious that God does not control the weather, but it also may become obvious that humanity is affecting it far more than we would care to admit or even contemplate. In the meantime, we gather again for worship, listening to the appeal Jesus makes to sinners. Since all of us fit readily into that category, let us, with Christian confidence, worship God.
Pastoral Prayer
Lord God, we who live on a barrier island realize how fragile the environment is that we call home. Once again we avoided major damage, while others to the south of us were devastated. We pray for them as they seek to piece their lives together. Give them the strength, courage, and hope necessary to rebuild. May they trust in Thy presence with them as they go through the inevitably tedious and exasperating process of patching up their homes and their lives.
We pray for any people in any kinds of situations who deduce that misfortune represents Thy punishment for sins they may have committed. Instead, may they come to perceive that misfortune comes to everyone, and that it is not Thy will to bring calamity to anyone. Yet Thou art always there in the midst of mishaps, and we ask Thee to uphold those who feel bereft of Thy presence. We pray for people who were ill or disabled before the hurricanes, whose lives have been further assaulted by the difficulty and uncertainty of evacuation. Gracious God, our hearts go out to people so much less fortunate than we are, asking Thee to grant them an especially deep measure of Thy love and power. Inspire us to become a source of support to people we shall never see or know, but who need our assistance.
We thank Thee for the tenacity and endurance Thou hast provided to thousands of professionals and volunteers who have been working non-stop since the two hurricanes have hit the shores of our nation. We marvel at their perseverance, and we trust it has been a gift from Thee. As much as we wish natural disasters would never strike, we are reminded of how much they bring people together who previously felt little or no connection with one another. Instill tender hearts in all of us when hard times come, so that we may be the people Thou wouldst have us to be. These things we ask in Jesus’ name, praying that the spirit that was in him may be in us as well. Now we pray together as Jesus taught his disciples, saying, Our Father….