Good Morning, God
Lord, one of your greatest hopes that you repeat in your word is that we care for the least of those among us – and there are those people – children and adults and adults whose capabilities are only like children – who do need caring for.
Unfortunately, we have headlines everyday that speak of one or more of the least needing interventional care, needing the support of the courts and the state and those whose jobs it is to make the evaluations. Unfortunately, when these interventions don’t take place appropriately, the least person continues to suffer, perhaps even unto death.
However, sometimes those who lovingly care for these, the least, because they are the parents and guardians, are persecuted because of the system, and end up being included as “perpetrators of abuse and neglect”.
Heavenly Father, we certainly ask that the least able among us be protected. But we also ask that everyone concerned be granted the wisdom of Solomon when decisions are made.
In Jesus name, Amen
20120528
A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, May 28th
Good Morning, God
Today we pause to remember; we remember those who have given their lives for the cause of freedom. We thank you for their service, their skills, their obedience under orders and their ultimate sacrifice. Bless the families and other loved ones of these men and women. May the memory of each person be always warm in our hearts. May we, also, always consider and count the costs of war before we engage in one, and strive to settle our differences with discussions and agreements rather than with weapons and wars.
Heavenly Father, we remember today all who have died. We remember the things about the person that were good and kind and faithful. We ask for your comfort and peace to be with us who still mourn our loss. May the deaths of those we love cause us to love those who are alive even more warmly and completely this and every day.
In Jesus' name, Amen
Today we pause to remember; we remember those who have given their lives for the cause of freedom. We thank you for their service, their skills, their obedience under orders and their ultimate sacrifice. Bless the families and other loved ones of these men and women. May the memory of each person be always warm in our hearts. May we, also, always consider and count the costs of war before we engage in one, and strive to settle our differences with discussions and agreements rather than with weapons and wars.
Heavenly Father, we remember today all who have died. We remember the things about the person that were good and kind and faithful. We ask for your comfort and peace to be with us who still mourn our loss. May the deaths of those we love cause us to love those who are alive even more warmly and completely this and every day.
In Jesus' name, Amen
20120525
A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, May 25th
Good morning, God
Dear God, some of us are feeling very old these days! The headlines have been about our entertainment heroes reaching the end of their lives and dying. Lately, Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Chuck Brown, Donald “Duck” Dunn, bass guitarist for the Blues Brothers, just to name a few that some of us would remember – and these just in the month of May.
Lord, these people have made perhaps world headlines in their deaths. We have our own local deaths that make the headlines. We even check to find out if we are among them, Lord. Sorta tongue-in-cheek, but sorta seriously, too.
Your know, Lord, sometimes we do feel like we might not be “alive” anymore, like life has passed us by, like those who have brought music and joy to our lives have gone silent. Yet, Lord, you give us fresh new days as long as we take breaths. So may this day and these breaths be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity and self-control for our sake and yours.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
20120523
A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, May 23rd
Good Morning, God,
The headlines in Indiana are about our Gubernatorial race and the candidates up for election. On Monday, one of the candidates chose his running mate. On Tuesday, the other candiate chose his.
As is always the case, the reasons for the particular selections come out: Education, career history, public service record, personal philosophies. There are no stones left un-turned when it comes to vetting a candidate for poliutical office these days, Lord. We want to either boast of a stellar person or dig up the dirt, depending upon our own political beliefs.
Lord, it is a good thing that all of us aren't up for public scrutiny of our lives each day! Many of us couldn't stand up to the characteristics of our life. Many of us have a lot of great qualities. All of us have a ways to go to live up to your standards, God.
So, for today, may we let our lights so shine so that everyone around will see our good works and give thanks to you, our God in heaven.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
The headlines in Indiana are about our Gubernatorial race and the candidates up for election. On Monday, one of the candidates chose his running mate. On Tuesday, the other candiate chose his.
As is always the case, the reasons for the particular selections come out: Education, career history, public service record, personal philosophies. There are no stones left un-turned when it comes to vetting a candidate for poliutical office these days, Lord. We want to either boast of a stellar person or dig up the dirt, depending upon our own political beliefs.
Lord, it is a good thing that all of us aren't up for public scrutiny of our lives each day! Many of us couldn't stand up to the characteristics of our life. Many of us have a lot of great qualities. All of us have a ways to go to live up to your standards, God.
So, for today, may we let our lights so shine so that everyone around will see our good works and give thanks to you, our God in heaven.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
20120521
A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, May 21st
Good Morning, God
Lord, we have often asked for prayers to be protected and safe from those who make the headlines – those who drive impaired by alcohol and/or drugs, for example. But a telephone call the other day asked for prayers for these very “headlines”. It was a mother who had had to spend Mother’s Day with her son in jail for drinking and driving. “They need our prayers, too, she pleaded.
Yes, Lord, we do need to lift up to you those who, either out of compulsion or just bad habits make the wrong choices to endanger themselves and others by driving impaired. We pray for their healing, Lord, which may only come if and when they admit that they don’t have the power to quit, but that you do have the power, ability and desire to accept their problems from them and control it for them – if only they would relinquish control to you.
Lord, no mother (or father, for that matter) should spend their special day with a son or daughter in Jail. Please, Lord, heal the habit and the hurt.
In Jesus' name, Amen
Lord, we have often asked for prayers to be protected and safe from those who make the headlines – those who drive impaired by alcohol and/or drugs, for example. But a telephone call the other day asked for prayers for these very “headlines”. It was a mother who had had to spend Mother’s Day with her son in jail for drinking and driving. “They need our prayers, too, she pleaded.
Yes, Lord, we do need to lift up to you those who, either out of compulsion or just bad habits make the wrong choices to endanger themselves and others by driving impaired. We pray for their healing, Lord, which may only come if and when they admit that they don’t have the power to quit, but that you do have the power, ability and desire to accept their problems from them and control it for them – if only they would relinquish control to you.
Lord, no mother (or father, for that matter) should spend their special day with a son or daughter in Jail. Please, Lord, heal the habit and the hurt.
In Jesus' name, Amen
20120518
A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, May 18th
Good Morning, God
This weekend, rather than praying for our sports teams to “go, fight, win”; we are beginning another kind of season – the season of our high school graduations. We have been preparing for this season for twelve, thirteen years. After a few short hours, a few speeches, the recommendation of the principles and the acceptance by the School Boards, our students will be “graduated”. “Commencement” will have happened. Truly, Lord, this is not a seasons of “finds”, but a season of beginnings, of “commencement”, of finding one’s way in the great game of life.
Lord, we pray for our high school graduates today. We thank you for their experiences, both easy and tough, these past years. We ask your guidance and their following of you plan for them the rest of their lives. For now, please keep them smart, safe, hopeful and good citizens – and may they accept the responsibilities of being a high school graduate and young adult.
In Jesus' name, Amen
This weekend, rather than praying for our sports teams to “go, fight, win”; we are beginning another kind of season – the season of our high school graduations. We have been preparing for this season for twelve, thirteen years. After a few short hours, a few speeches, the recommendation of the principles and the acceptance by the School Boards, our students will be “graduated”. “Commencement” will have happened. Truly, Lord, this is not a seasons of “finds”, but a season of beginnings, of “commencement”, of finding one’s way in the great game of life.
Lord, we pray for our high school graduates today. We thank you for their experiences, both easy and tough, these past years. We ask your guidance and their following of you plan for them the rest of their lives. For now, please keep them smart, safe, hopeful and good citizens – and may they accept the responsibilities of being a high school graduate and young adult.
In Jesus' name, Amen
20120514
A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, May 14th
Good Morning, God
Lord, there are times in our lives when we must lie to benefit the common good. The headlines have been about the thwarting of another plot to blow up another U.S. airliner or an airliner headed to the U.S. Turns out, Lord, that the one carrying the bomb was an American CIA mole who had infiltrated the al Qaeda cell enough that he was going to be the suicide bomber. Instead, he lied, and brought the bomb to the authorities in the U.S. We are so grateful for his loyalties, Lord, and we are thankful for his safety.
Now, Lord, we pray for the skills to dissect the bomb and determine how it was made and how another one can be detected if it is being carried onto public transportation, especially airplanes. Much beyond that, Lord, we pray for a peaceful end to the ugly and deadly animosity that plagues our nation and the world. May there be peace on earth!
In Jesus' name, Amen
Lord, there are times in our lives when we must lie to benefit the common good. The headlines have been about the thwarting of another plot to blow up another U.S. airliner or an airliner headed to the U.S. Turns out, Lord, that the one carrying the bomb was an American CIA mole who had infiltrated the al Qaeda cell enough that he was going to be the suicide bomber. Instead, he lied, and brought the bomb to the authorities in the U.S. We are so grateful for his loyalties, Lord, and we are thankful for his safety.
Now, Lord, we pray for the skills to dissect the bomb and determine how it was made and how another one can be detected if it is being carried onto public transportation, especially airplanes. Much beyond that, Lord, we pray for a peaceful end to the ugly and deadly animosity that plagues our nation and the world. May there be peace on earth!
In Jesus' name, Amen
20120511
A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, May 11th
Good Morning, God
Your word says “See now how pleasant all is when people live in unity!” The headlines have spoken of the uniting of two of our Community Foundations – the Dubois County and the Huntingburg Community Foundations and the hiring of Brad Ward as the CEO.
Lord, we thank you for the idea of community foundations and the encouragement several years ago by the Lilly Endowment to establish and increase such foundations with matching grants. We give thanks for the vision and wisdom of our people that took advantage of the opportunities. Now, we ask your blessing be upon those who make the important decisions about the investments and expenditures of the assets. We also ask your wisdom for us as we consider setting up and investing in the foundation. And, we ask for continued wisdom for Brad Ward in this important position.
In Jesus' name, Amen
Your word says “See now how pleasant all is when people live in unity!” The headlines have spoken of the uniting of two of our Community Foundations – the Dubois County and the Huntingburg Community Foundations and the hiring of Brad Ward as the CEO.
Lord, we thank you for the idea of community foundations and the encouragement several years ago by the Lilly Endowment to establish and increase such foundations with matching grants. We give thanks for the vision and wisdom of our people that took advantage of the opportunities. Now, we ask your blessing be upon those who make the important decisions about the investments and expenditures of the assets. We also ask your wisdom for us as we consider setting up and investing in the foundation. And, we ask for continued wisdom for Brad Ward in this important position.
In Jesus' name, Amen
20120509
A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, May 9th
Good Morning, God,
This morning we now know who the specific candidates will be for the specific offices by party affiliation. For some, this day will be a satisfying day. For others, this day will be a day of shock and sadness. The same can be said about us voters, Lord. For some of us there is much hope; for others of us there is frustration. We know, though, that you are in the midst of all of us and celebrate with those who celebrate and mourn with those who mourn. We thank you for this, Lord.
Lord, we are grateful that you put into the hearts of men and women that desire to serve others. We remember your words in Scripture that tell us to pray for those in authority over us, for you have placed them there. It is good for us to be reminded of this, Lord, because in our system of government you work through men and women voters to carry out electing those who serve us.
So, Lord, be with the candidates as they campaign and give “we the people” the gift of wisdom to choose those who would govern us in the manner that you design.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, May 2nd
Good Morning, God
Lord we have an old adage down here. It goes "Take time to smell the roses!" Right now, Lord, your natural order of things has made the roses very beautiful to behold and to smell. It's too bad that headlines cannot also include actual smells from the roses!
Creator God, there is so much beauty all around us; all a person has to do is decide to behold it. Our headlines can speak about the beauty found along the nature trail, with the flowing Patoka River, the deer and the woods. Our advertisements can offer the possibility of nature's beauty from our garden shops. Our headlines may even talk of our own gardens - the flower, herb and vegetable gardens we create.
Lord of all beauty, we seek your beauty in our lives. May we notice it around our apartments and homes. May we enjoy it in our neighborhoods and around our work. And, may we take time to smell all the roses!!
In Jesus' name, Amen
Lord we have an old adage down here. It goes "Take time to smell the roses!" Right now, Lord, your natural order of things has made the roses very beautiful to behold and to smell. It's too bad that headlines cannot also include actual smells from the roses!
Creator God, there is so much beauty all around us; all a person has to do is decide to behold it. Our headlines can speak about the beauty found along the nature trail, with the flowing Patoka River, the deer and the woods. Our advertisements can offer the possibility of nature's beauty from our garden shops. Our headlines may even talk of our own gardens - the flower, herb and vegetable gardens we create.
Lord of all beauty, we seek your beauty in our lives. May we notice it around our apartments and homes. May we enjoy it in our neighborhoods and around our work. And, may we take time to smell all the roses!!
In Jesus' name, Amen
20120507
A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday May 7th
Good Morning, God
Lord, you know that this prayer-maker looks at local, state, national and international headlines before hearing what you would have us lift up to you. Lately, it seems Lord, that there are so many, especially international, things about which we could pray – and every one of these things deserves and needs our prayers.
We need to pray for the United Kingdom as it deals with the scandal involving Rupert Murdock and the phone tapping scandal. We need to pray for our own government agencies as they deal with sinful Secret Service agents and members of the military as they behaved on foreign soil. We can pray for China and their actions toward human rights and the escape from house-arrest of the dissident who is blind. We can pray for wisdom for our U.S. Drone program that causes us to take out people in foreign countries, seemingly with impunity. And, we can pray for peace to be gained in Syria so that its people may be safe and healthy and no longer live in fear. For these needs and so many others, we ask your care and guidance.
In Jesus' name, Amen
Lord, you know that this prayer-maker looks at local, state, national and international headlines before hearing what you would have us lift up to you. Lately, it seems Lord, that there are so many, especially international, things about which we could pray – and every one of these things deserves and needs our prayers.
We need to pray for the United Kingdom as it deals with the scandal involving Rupert Murdock and the phone tapping scandal. We need to pray for our own government agencies as they deal with sinful Secret Service agents and members of the military as they behaved on foreign soil. We can pray for China and their actions toward human rights and the escape from house-arrest of the dissident who is blind. We can pray for wisdom for our U.S. Drone program that causes us to take out people in foreign countries, seemingly with impunity. And, we can pray for peace to be gained in Syria so that its people may be safe and healthy and no longer live in fear. For these needs and so many others, we ask your care and guidance.
In Jesus' name, Amen
20120504
A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, May 4th
Good Morning, God
Lord, we are having far too many headlines about drivers getting stopped for some traffic violation, then ending up being charged with “Driving Under the Influence”. Fortunately, a lot of these are in the wee hours of the morning when very few other people are on the streets, but more and more stops are being made at much busier times.
Good God, we give thanks today for concerned citizens who report suspected impaired drivers. We thank you for astute police officers who look for reasons to stop a driver in order to check them out. And, Lord, we are grateful for all drivers who don’t attempt to drink and drive, helping our streets to be as safe as they can be.
Lord God, we also pray for those who do like to “party hearty”, then get behind a wheel to drive. May they just not do it! And for those who do – may the rest of us stay clear of them, while they are stopped and arrested, and punished.
In Jesus' name, Amen
Lord, we are having far too many headlines about drivers getting stopped for some traffic violation, then ending up being charged with “Driving Under the Influence”. Fortunately, a lot of these are in the wee hours of the morning when very few other people are on the streets, but more and more stops are being made at much busier times.
Good God, we give thanks today for concerned citizens who report suspected impaired drivers. We thank you for astute police officers who look for reasons to stop a driver in order to check them out. And, Lord, we are grateful for all drivers who don’t attempt to drink and drive, helping our streets to be as safe as they can be.
Lord God, we also pray for those who do like to “party hearty”, then get behind a wheel to drive. May they just not do it! And for those who do – may the rest of us stay clear of them, while they are stopped and arrested, and punished.
In Jesus' name, Amen
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