Good Morning, God
Sadly, Lord, the headlines last week were about four Americans who were sailing the seas until their boat was hijacked off the coast of Somalia. It seems that 19 men swarmed the sailboat. During the negotiations with the pirates, shots were heard and the Americans, who were now hostages, were dead.
Lord, one of the statements made was that the victims were aware that it was dangerous sailing as an only boat in the area where they were. But, because of their dreams and desires, they went anyway.
This gives us great pause to think, gracious God. When do we pursue our dreams and when do we not? When do the rewards outweigh the risks and how do we know? How do we know which course to trust and which path to discard?
Lord, you have given us the faculties to deal with these things: hearts to dream & minds to weigh the dreams. May we keep these two in the proper, safe balance.
In Jesus name, Amen
20110225
A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, February 25
Good Morning, God
Lord, this week has seen a lot of political unrest. People have been protesting in the streets and in certain buildings. People have been shouting at each other, trying to not only have their views heard, but trying to make their way the way. Government leaders have had their leadership decisions questioned and /or rejected. On the floor of the assemblies that debate the issues, the decorum has sometimes been heated.
One might think that we're praying about places far away, but we are really praying about places close at hand. We pray for Huntingburg and the politics of the Mayoral race. We pray for the Indiana State Legislature and the issues involved in the discussions. We pray for the people, all the people - the citizens, legislators, governors - in Wisconsin and every other state who are trying to make financial ends meet. And, we pray for our national government as spending and budget bills are crafted.
Lord, we really do know that "money doesn't grow on trees". So may we all choose to be fiscally responsible. Then, is it fair to all.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Lord, this week has seen a lot of political unrest. People have been protesting in the streets and in certain buildings. People have been shouting at each other, trying to not only have their views heard, but trying to make their way the way. Government leaders have had their leadership decisions questioned and /or rejected. On the floor of the assemblies that debate the issues, the decorum has sometimes been heated.
One might think that we're praying about places far away, but we are really praying about places close at hand. We pray for Huntingburg and the politics of the Mayoral race. We pray for the Indiana State Legislature and the issues involved in the discussions. We pray for the people, all the people - the citizens, legislators, governors - in Wisconsin and every other state who are trying to make financial ends meet. And, we pray for our national government as spending and budget bills are crafted.
Lord, we really do know that "money doesn't grow on trees". So may we all choose to be fiscally responsible. Then, is it fair to all.
In Jesus name, Amen.
20110223
A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, February 23
good Morning, God,
Lord, "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" and "Shake, Shake, Shake" may be good titles for rock songs, but they are not good words for what has happened in New Zealand with their earthquake.
Lord, we pray for the people of New Zealand, especially for those in the city of Christchurch. We pray for the loved ones of those who have died. We pray for the injured that their wounds will heal quickly and completely. We pray for those who have lost their homes and those who have lost their businesses. May they find the strength and resources to rebuild. We pray for the emergency workers, that they will be able to rest from heir labors when they are tired.
And, Lord, we pray for those who call the Cathedral in Christchurch their place of worship. Already being rebuilt because of an earlier quake, now there is much more work to do.
So, Lord God, bless the good efforts of all who would rebuild and restore the people of New Zealand to a safe, serene and secure life.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Lord, "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" and "Shake, Shake, Shake" may be good titles for rock songs, but they are not good words for what has happened in New Zealand with their earthquake.
Lord, we pray for the people of New Zealand, especially for those in the city of Christchurch. We pray for the loved ones of those who have died. We pray for the injured that their wounds will heal quickly and completely. We pray for those who have lost their homes and those who have lost their businesses. May they find the strength and resources to rebuild. We pray for the emergency workers, that they will be able to rest from heir labors when they are tired.
And, Lord, we pray for those who call the Cathedral in Christchurch their place of worship. Already being rebuilt because of an earlier quake, now there is much more work to do.
So, Lord God, bless the good efforts of all who would rebuild and restore the people of New Zealand to a safe, serene and secure life.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
20110221
Prayers for the Headlines, Monday, February 21, 2011
Good Morning, God
Ah, the joys of victories and the agonies of defeat are in our thoughts and on our faces once again. It's tournament time in basketball. It's that time of the year that ushers in spring. It's basketball tournament time again!
Lord, we really enjoy watching individuals and teams play against each other. We love to see players "slice through the defense" to "jam it home" or "lay it up". We marvel at how a player can "get only net" from a ball put up "from downtown". While we are always ready for a game to be over, we also appreciate the drama when the game is close and it takes many minutes to play only a few seconds. And, Lord, we appreciate the suspense when a game goes into overtime. Who has the desire , who has the stamina, who will win the game?
Lord, thank you for the joy and enjoyment of basketball tourney time. May the teams play their best and may we be the best at being good sports.
In Jesus name, Amen
Ah, the joys of victories and the agonies of defeat are in our thoughts and on our faces once again. It's tournament time in basketball. It's that time of the year that ushers in spring. It's basketball tournament time again!
Lord, we really enjoy watching individuals and teams play against each other. We love to see players "slice through the defense" to "jam it home" or "lay it up". We marvel at how a player can "get only net" from a ball put up "from downtown". While we are always ready for a game to be over, we also appreciate the drama when the game is close and it takes many minutes to play only a few seconds. And, Lord, we appreciate the suspense when a game goes into overtime. Who has the desire , who has the stamina, who will win the game?
Lord, thank you for the joy and enjoyment of basketball tourney time. May the teams play their best and may we be the best at being good sports.
In Jesus name, Amen
20110218
Prayers for the Headlines, Friday, February 18, 2011
Good Morning, God
Lord, as you know of "domino effects", what do you see for the middle Eastern countries? Now that the Egyptian peoples' revolution has taken place successfully, will this embolden citizens of other countries to begin the same thing?
Already we see protesters in Iran; but the thought there is to maintain the very strong governmental controls and just execute the protest leaders. Already we hear of protesters in Bahrain and Yemen being harmed. Already we hear of the possibilities of other countries "being next". The thing is, Lord, in other countries religious power goes along with the political power. And, when both religion and politics are shaken to the foundations, our human psyches have a difficult time coping. So we resort to the strength of who has the most weapons., who has the most uniforms, who has the laws and dictatorial powers on their side - and uses them. Lord, you know what is going to happen. May any transitions happen peacefully and without needless bloodshed.
In Jesus name, Amen
Lord, as you know of "domino effects", what do you see for the middle Eastern countries? Now that the Egyptian peoples' revolution has taken place successfully, will this embolden citizens of other countries to begin the same thing?
Already we see protesters in Iran; but the thought there is to maintain the very strong governmental controls and just execute the protest leaders. Already we hear of protesters in Bahrain and Yemen being harmed. Already we hear of the possibilities of other countries "being next". The thing is, Lord, in other countries religious power goes along with the political power. And, when both religion and politics are shaken to the foundations, our human psyches have a difficult time coping. So we resort to the strength of who has the most weapons., who has the most uniforms, who has the laws and dictatorial powers on their side - and uses them. Lord, you know what is going to happen. May any transitions happen peacefully and without needless bloodshed.
In Jesus name, Amen
20110216
A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, February 16
Good Morning, God,
The headlines are about money, big money, your money and mine that we give our government to give back to us in services. Yes, Lord, under our Constitution we have given our government the power and the privilege to require our money to run our country.
Lord, this is budget time for our government. Our President presented his budget for the running of the federal government. It proposes some major changes in how our money is spent and some changes in how our money is brought in. There are things in the budget for everyone to like something, and things for everyone not to like.
Heavenly Father, may we the people of these United States take our responsibilities for our national budget seriously. My we insist on a balanced budget, one without pork and politics, and one which protects and promotes all life, all liberty, and all true pursuits of happiness.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
The headlines are about money, big money, your money and mine that we give our government to give back to us in services. Yes, Lord, under our Constitution we have given our government the power and the privilege to require our money to run our country.
Lord, this is budget time for our government. Our President presented his budget for the running of the federal government. It proposes some major changes in how our money is spent and some changes in how our money is brought in. There are things in the budget for everyone to like something, and things for everyone not to like.
Heavenly Father, may we the people of these United States take our responsibilities for our national budget seriously. My we insist on a balanced budget, one without pork and politics, and one which protects and promotes all life, all liberty, and all true pursuits of happiness.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
20110214
Prayers for the Headlines, Monday, February 14, 2011
Good Morning, God
Ah, the smell of roses and chocolate, the looks of the color red and lace and the thoughts of romance are all in the air this morning as we awaken to St. Valentine's Day.
Over the years, Lord, this day has taken on a life of its own. Some say the day goes clear back to 270 A.D. Some say the day is a pagan festival taken over and made more into a Christian festival.
However this celebration of February 14th as St. Valentine's Day began, it is a good day to think about and celebrate "love". We most often look at the way we celebrate this love as a romantic love, a love between two people linked by a warm attraction. We also extend our love to family members and close friends. Usually, we celebrate love by the way we feel for others.
However, Lord, you give us a high ideal for love when you said "Greater love has no one that this - "that he or she gives up their own life so that another person may live and have life". Lord, make us strong enough to give up our own life for others today.
In Jesus name, Amen
Ah, the smell of roses and chocolate, the looks of the color red and lace and the thoughts of romance are all in the air this morning as we awaken to St. Valentine's Day.
Over the years, Lord, this day has taken on a life of its own. Some say the day goes clear back to 270 A.D. Some say the day is a pagan festival taken over and made more into a Christian festival.
However this celebration of February 14th as St. Valentine's Day began, it is a good day to think about and celebrate "love". We most often look at the way we celebrate this love as a romantic love, a love between two people linked by a warm attraction. We also extend our love to family members and close friends. Usually, we celebrate love by the way we feel for others.
However, Lord, you give us a high ideal for love when you said "Greater love has no one that this - "that he or she gives up their own life so that another person may live and have life". Lord, make us strong enough to give up our own life for others today.
In Jesus name, Amen
20110211
Prayers for the Headlines, Friday, February 11, 2011
Good Morning, God
Lord, we thank you that our headlines after our disagreements aren't like the headlines of the Egyptian media. We thank you that you answered our prayers for civility in our meetings and discussions, and we continue to ask for grace for each person involved.
Lord, whose reach and vision spans the world even without the various forms of media, look with favor upon many frontiers today as we end the week. Intervene in the unrest in Egypt. Cause the factious to hear, respond and respect each other and wisely work together for life and liberty.
Look with compassion upon the people of Sri Lank, Australia and Haiti as they recover from natural disasters. Look, with the gift of wisdom upon the decision-makers of North and South Korea, Southern Sudan as it splits from North Sudan, creating a new African state, and upon Russia as it has been threatened by Chechen rebels.
Lord, continue your blessings of peaceful living for us, even as we pray for peace around the world.
In Jesus name, Amen
Lord, we thank you that our headlines after our disagreements aren't like the headlines of the Egyptian media. We thank you that you answered our prayers for civility in our meetings and discussions, and we continue to ask for grace for each person involved.
Lord, whose reach and vision spans the world even without the various forms of media, look with favor upon many frontiers today as we end the week. Intervene in the unrest in Egypt. Cause the factious to hear, respond and respect each other and wisely work together for life and liberty.
Look with compassion upon the people of Sri Lank, Australia and Haiti as they recover from natural disasters. Look, with the gift of wisdom upon the decision-makers of North and South Korea, Southern Sudan as it splits from North Sudan, creating a new African state, and upon Russia as it has been threatened by Chechen rebels.
Lord, continue your blessings of peaceful living for us, even as we pray for peace around the world.
In Jesus name, Amen
20110209
A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, February 9
Good Morning, God,
We ask your blessing to be present tonight and tomorrow night as citizens and city and business folks get together around the headline issue of having a facility for the biomass generation of electricity in town. Lord, many good, intelligent and concerned people are involved here. They are using the brains with which you blessed them to discuss, particularly, the environmental and health ramifications of burning a grass rather than coal and using a significant amount more of water to create steam for the generation.
Lord, there has already been the discussions of "unfairness," of profits over health, of a lack of stewardship of your natural resources of the air and water.
Heavenly Father, we ask that we be gifted with the desire and ability to agree to disagree agreeably these next two evenings, and we pray for "the wisdom of Solomon," your godly wisdom, in considering the decisions about this project that will eventually be made.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
We ask your blessing to be present tonight and tomorrow night as citizens and city and business folks get together around the headline issue of having a facility for the biomass generation of electricity in town. Lord, many good, intelligent and concerned people are involved here. They are using the brains with which you blessed them to discuss, particularly, the environmental and health ramifications of burning a grass rather than coal and using a significant amount more of water to create steam for the generation.
Lord, there has already been the discussions of "unfairness," of profits over health, of a lack of stewardship of your natural resources of the air and water.
Heavenly Father, we ask that we be gifted with the desire and ability to agree to disagree agreeably these next two evenings, and we pray for "the wisdom of Solomon," your godly wisdom, in considering the decisions about this project that will eventually be made.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
20110207
A Prayer for the Headlines, Monday, February 7
Good Morning, God
Too often these days the headlines are about the making and using of illegal drugs, especially Methamphetamine. Lord, there's a lot of money to be made if one makes and sells Meth. Lord, there are a lot of "highs" to be had if one makes and uses Meth. And, Lord, there is a huge physical and mental toll to be had if one makes and uses Meth. Making and using Meth, one can become a thief, stealing the ingredients. Making and using Meth, a twenty-five year old can have the body of a fifty-five, sixty-five or seventy-five year old. Making and using Meth, a person, no matter his or her age, can mess up their mind enough that there is absolutely no reality - all becomes as hallucinations.
Loving God, use this prayer today to cause a person to stop making and using Meth. Fill that person's life with incredible "highs" that come from living the straight life to the fullest, and Lord, give your strength, guidance and support to each person who would love to get off of Meth, for their sake and ours.
In Jesus name, Amen
Too often these days the headlines are about the making and using of illegal drugs, especially Methamphetamine. Lord, there's a lot of money to be made if one makes and sells Meth. Lord, there are a lot of "highs" to be had if one makes and uses Meth. And, Lord, there is a huge physical and mental toll to be had if one makes and uses Meth. Making and using Meth, one can become a thief, stealing the ingredients. Making and using Meth, a twenty-five year old can have the body of a fifty-five, sixty-five or seventy-five year old. Making and using Meth, a person, no matter his or her age, can mess up their mind enough that there is absolutely no reality - all becomes as hallucinations.
Loving God, use this prayer today to cause a person to stop making and using Meth. Fill that person's life with incredible "highs" that come from living the straight life to the fullest, and Lord, give your strength, guidance and support to each person who would love to get off of Meth, for their sake and ours.
In Jesus name, Amen
20110204
A Prayer for the Headlines, Friday, February 4
Good Morning, God
The headlines say that today is Friday. The question is, what will we do this weekend? We often say "TGIF", thanking you for this day. We do this usually because Friday is the last day of work for us this week, and Saturday and Sunday are the days we can "do what we want" or "catch up with other things". This Sunday we might choose to take in everything abut the Super Bowl, making a long party out of Sunday.
However, Lord, Saturdays and Sundays are also days we can do things for other people. We can be volunteers who clean up trash from along the road, take some young person bowling or to a movie as a big brother or a big sister. We could be close to a telephone connected to the Crisis Connection line or to the Domestic Violence Hot Line. We could even make a little extra food and take it to our neighbor who has been ill or down on his or her luck.
Lord, as we thank you for this Friday, may we be open to what you would have us do tomorrow and Sunday.
In Jesus name, Amen
The headlines say that today is Friday. The question is, what will we do this weekend? We often say "TGIF", thanking you for this day. We do this usually because Friday is the last day of work for us this week, and Saturday and Sunday are the days we can "do what we want" or "catch up with other things". This Sunday we might choose to take in everything abut the Super Bowl, making a long party out of Sunday.
However, Lord, Saturdays and Sundays are also days we can do things for other people. We can be volunteers who clean up trash from along the road, take some young person bowling or to a movie as a big brother or a big sister. We could be close to a telephone connected to the Crisis Connection line or to the Domestic Violence Hot Line. We could even make a little extra food and take it to our neighbor who has been ill or down on his or her luck.
Lord, as we thank you for this Friday, may we be open to what you would have us do tomorrow and Sunday.
In Jesus name, Amen
20110202
A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, February 2
Good Morning, God,
The headlines are all over the world today as the great unrest is going on in Egypt. We see it in all our media; we see it in our gasoline prices. We may even be more concerned about our gas prices than we are about the citizenry and government of a country so far away.
Yet, Lord, we do need to care, because with the smallness of the world these days, the Egyptian people are our neighbors. The Egyptian government has been considered a great ally of our U.S. government. Besides all this, though, the folks in Egypt are just trying to live each day as we are: free to assemble peacefully, free to speak out without fear of reprisal, free to have a government that helps and not hinders life.
So, Lord, whose hand has forever been reaching into Egypt (we remember that Moses led your people out, and that Joseph and Mary escaped into Egypt), look with favor upon this ancient country, causing the people to respect one another, follow the rules of law, and seek a peaceful, just solution to all of the issues.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
The headlines are all over the world today as the great unrest is going on in Egypt. We see it in all our media; we see it in our gasoline prices. We may even be more concerned about our gas prices than we are about the citizenry and government of a country so far away.
Yet, Lord, we do need to care, because with the smallness of the world these days, the Egyptian people are our neighbors. The Egyptian government has been considered a great ally of our U.S. government. Besides all this, though, the folks in Egypt are just trying to live each day as we are: free to assemble peacefully, free to speak out without fear of reprisal, free to have a government that helps and not hinders life.
So, Lord, whose hand has forever been reaching into Egypt (we remember that Moses led your people out, and that Joseph and Mary escaped into Egypt), look with favor upon this ancient country, causing the people to respect one another, follow the rules of law, and seek a peaceful, just solution to all of the issues.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
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