A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, August 31st

Good Morning, God

Creator and sustaining God, we don’t know how you do it.  We don’t get the headlines about you that tell us when you rest, when you rejuvenate, when you take a vacation or take a day off.  We do remember that the Bible tells us that you worked creating all that is for six days and on the seventh day you rested.  We remember that you also invite, albeit command us, to “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.  Work for six days, but rest in the Lord on the seventh,” you have said.  We know you care about our rest, relaxation and rejuvenation like you care about your own.  All this said, God, we are thankful to you for never taking a vacation or a nap or gettin’ a good night’s sleep or taking a holiday.

But we are also so thankful when we have holidays, those extra times to breathe easier, enjoy the day doing something special – or not, and remember why the day is special in the first place.  So, as we take a holiday on Monday, after our Sabbath on Sunday, may we be ever mindful and thankful, god, that you never rest and are always on call.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednessday, August 29th

Good Morning, God,
We pray this day for the gulf coast area of our country, as Isaac has made his presence known. Not only has he come with the usual strong winds and buckets of rain, but he also comes eliciting memories of a gal named Katrina, the storm that made her presence known exactly seven years ago. Hopefully, Lord, Isaac will be gentler and the people will be better prepared, so that lives and property will be safer.
Lord, we always face storms in our lives. They aren't limited to tropical storms and hurricanes, either. Our "storms" come in health issues - the sudden heart attack; the surprise stroke; the creeping cancers. Our storms come in our relationships - the decisions and actions we take because we are ourselves that offend and hurt others because they are being themselves.
However, God, you are present and available for us in each and every storm - and in all calm, as well - to strengthen, comfort, guide, heal and love us. May we always feel you nearby us.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, August 27th

Good morning, God

Last week, competitive cyclist Lance Armstrong was in the news again.  It seems he had had a lawsuit that he had filed thrown out of court.  The lawsuit was an attempt to stop the investigation of Armstrong – once again – on charges of using illegal, performance-enhancing drugs, especially during his Tour de France rides and victories.  Lord, perhaps only you and Mr. Armstrong now for sure.

Heavenly Father, you see everything, don’t you?  You know when we sit down and when we rise.  You know our thoughts even before a word is on our tongue.  Your days for us were written in your book even before we were born.  And, we are fearfully and wonderfully made – by you, Creator God, and because you made us, you keep tabs on us, what we do and what we don’t do.  Such knowledge should be incredibly wonderful – and humbling – for us, and we should try to do everyday what pleases you before we try to please ourselves or others.  So, may we walk with integrity each day do that you, nor anyone, doubts what we are doing.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, August 24th

Good morning, God

Lord, another good person has been caught with his foot in his mouth and is having to chew shoe leather.  A political candidate for the U.S. Senate out of Missouri misspoke about the very sensitive topic of abortion and rape.  His comments seemed to come from a very ignorant person, rather than one who was educated on the matter.  Now, his political allies and political enemies have distanced themselves from him.

Lord, we all know that the issue of abortion is a hot-button issue.  It is an issue that gets into a woman’s right to control her own body.  It gets into the issue of when life begins.  It gets into whether or not one is destroying a life by the abortion process.  It gets into the question of when pregnancy is caused by rape, or whose life is more valuable – a mother’s or a fetus’ – when there are medical complications.

Gracious God, please give us wisdom when we speak our opinions about sensitive issues – and give us wisdom around the issue of when, if ever, it is okay to end a pregnancy with an abortion.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, August 22nd

Good morning, God

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We’ve all heard the adage, Lord, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”.  Such have been the national headlines about a 62-year old woman named Diana Nya.  She has tried to swim from Cuba to Florida across the Straits of Florida, a distance of 103 miles, four times now.  Her latest effort ended night before last due to being stung by a jellyfish and having severe lightening storms in the area.  She said that this was her last try at this feat.

Lord, we pray for Diana and any of us who have had our dreams dashed.  Even when we “try, try again”, the efforts have been to no avail.  What do we gain from all our efforts when they fail to get us to a goal?

Well, Lord, your word tells us that when we faithfully pursue our goals with the gifts you give us to use, we will reach our goals – if only the goal of being blessed by you in eternity.  So, Lord, may our efforts be in accordance with your will and may we have the strength and courage to follow your will.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, August 20th

Good Morning, God

Lord, the other day, the headlines were about how a U.S. destroyer ship collided with an oil tanker ship on the open seas.  Regardless of how it happened, God, one wonders about the odds of it happening.  Obviously, two ships were trying to occupy the exact same spot on the ocean at the same time.  But what are the odds of this?

God, who created math and probability, we notice it a lot when two vehicles meet in an accident when no other vehicles are around.  We notice these conjunctions when we are jogging on a narrow road and we and two cars meet at the same time.  What are the odds?

We also wonder, God about how our seemingly unanswerable dilemmas get answered at just the right time.  We pray for healing and it happens.  We pray for safety and we see the accident happen just behind us.  We pray for a job and we are selected out of the huge number of applicants.  We pray for long-life and we beat the odds of our family history.

God of heaven and earth and probability, may we always believe that things don’t just happen “by chance” but to fulfill your great purposes.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, August 17th

Good Morning, God

It is always said in a negative way, “Those who don’t remember history are destined to repeat it”.  Well, Lord, it is to our benefit when we remember from where we came and how we got to where we are.  Our own Dubois County Museum with its newly established and minted Main Street is a great example. 

It is very thought provoking, God to see the different vignettes of where we used to live and how we used to do things.  It is interesting to imagine the step-by-step changes that have taken place on our current main streets to get us from where we were to where we are now.  It is also interesting, God, that the more things have changed, the more things have stayed the same:  We still have churches, saloons and jails, millenary, grocery and shoe shops, barber shops, newspaper offices and photography studios, land surveyors, school houses and funeral homes.  We also have the homes to which we go for warmth, food, family and love.

Thank you, Lord, for memories, but thank you for our present live, also.   Please bless it all.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, August 15th

Good Morning, God

We ask your blessing and protection today on the four men who have been making the headlines since Saturday morning.  We are thankful that these four are following what they believe to be their calling to serve this country as either its president or its vice-president.  We are thankful that they are willing to take the risks inherent with such offices.  We are grateful for the spouses who unselfishly give up more and more time, so that these men may do what is necessary to campaign.

Lord, these men and their families must have your guidance and protection.  You have said that those who are elected to serve us do so under the auspices of your calling.  Therefore, Lord, give us your guidance and wisdom to seek the candidates who will do your bidding.

And, Lord, because we are human beings who are prone to sin, and in doing so harm others, only your sure, strong protection can prevent any attempt – be it by word assassination, physical assassination, family assassination – on the lives of these people attempting to answer the call of this country.  Guide and protect them, we pray.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, August 13th

Good Morning, God. Let's begin the week with the sheer elation of headlines that came our of NASA - the new Mars Rover made it safely to the surface of Mars and is operating exactly as it should, if not better! The joy exhibited by those in the control room couldn't be contained; it was explosive!
Lord who created the heavens and the earth, who are we that you are mindful of us, and our sons and daughters that you care for us? Yet, you have made us a little lower then the heavenly beings, but have clothed us with glory and honor.
Thank you, Father, for imagination and desire to go exploring. Thank you for the brains to figure out how to experience our dreams in reality. Thank you, God for the projects that bring people together around a positive goal. And, Thank you, God, especially when we remember that all that we are and all that we ever hope to be and do is made possible because you give us the abilities.
May all we do be to your glory and for humanities benefit.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, August 11th

Good Morning, God,
The prayer on Wednesday was about how we aren't being very good toward each other in very serious matters as Americans these days. Today we want to pray for the headline that involves
free speech, but is really a ridiculous thing to be bothered with.
It seems, Lord, that a young lady's hair is of concern to others. This young woman, Gabby Douglas, 16 years old, had just won the gold medal in the Women's All-around gymnastics Olympic competition with incredible performances, a huge smile, and a beautiful demeanor that gave the glory to you, God. But then the "tweety-birds started in about how she ought to do something, quote, "about her hair that was too straight or too kinky, and whether it was over-gelled or under-tamed, and what she could have done about that floppy bun...alright, if I were her mother, I would have put a headband on it," someone said.
Lord who made us the way we are, may we celebrate the beauty of an award-winning performance, or even just a person's inner beauty, without tweeting tackily about someone's hair!
In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, August 8th

Good Morning, God,
Lord, the headlines are causing much sadness today for good, red-blooded Americans! The headlines speak of how some Americans are not being the best Americans they can be, and, in fact, are acting against all that we stand for as Americans.
Lord, the latest headlines are about the shooting in the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, near Milwaukee. Six people were killed and four were wounded as they worshipped together last Sunday. The gunman was killed by police officers. Sometime before the shooting, the gunman had spoken of a "racial holy war."
Part of the story also tells that the gunman was an "Army Veteran," as if this made him more or less likely to do this, depending on one's point of view. He was also many other things. We shouldn't besmirch the Army good name simply to try to describe a crazed man.
Then, last week we had to deal with the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom for life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness issues around the chicken thing.
Lord, help us all to live up to the basic tenets of being an American and "One Nation Under God," and merely being the best human being we can be.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, August 6th

Good Morning, God,
Now that Strassenfest is over around here, we can get to preparing for fall. Of course, with fall comes school, and in some parts of the country, school has begun. For some of us, school begins next week or soon there-after.
Lord, you gave us the incredible thing we have under our scalp and within our skull we call "the brain." You made it not only so it could perceive, sort and store information, but you made it so it could make decisions about that information and use the information for good and for ill. Indeed, Creator God, you have given us a miraculous item in our bodies!
God, as we begin to put in more information from what is taught in school classed from Kindergarten through college, from the school of hard knocks through the success of life-long learning, may we give you thanks for the potential power of our brain, fill it with the right stuff, use it to make wise choices, and seek to understand all of life around us.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, August 3rd

Good Morning, God,
Lord, the headlines have been about the owner of a fast-food restaurant business - and a very successful business, at that - sharing his views on how running his business in what he believes to be the Christian way and living his life, especially his marriage, in a Christian way, has blessed both. Part of the business success is being closed on Sundays, and his marriage success is believing that marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman 'til death they do part.
Now, Lord, he is being castigated for taking this view of the Christian faith and Christian marriage. There have been calls to boycott the business. Towns are considering not giving a license for the business to operate. The epithets are being hurled against him, all because he expressed his own view of how his faith calls him to live.
Lord, may we all respect each other's viewpoints more than this. May we not be strident in our voicings, but seek to understand one another out of care and concern.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, August 1st

Good Morning, God,
God of good times and bad, we ask your blessing this week for the "good times." It's time for our Strassenfest weekend, our Street Festival time, and we want it to be safe and fun both.
We want to enjoy life together on the streets and sidewalks. We want to enjoy the concerts and food. We want to renew old friendships and wander around the square with those we love. We want to feel safe letting our kids go off by themselves. We want to make lots of money at our different stands.
Gee, Lord, we sure want a lot, don't we?
So, perhaps, if we will do our part; that is, behave ourselves, defer to each other, watch our alcohol intake, and even still attend the worship service of our choice over the weekend, then we will feel your blessing on these good times.
Lord, may we be wise in all things at Strassenfest.
In Jesus' name, Amen.