A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, September 28th

Good morning, God

The headlines have been about how National Football League games were being refereed.  It seems that the regular, well-trained refs were on strike and substitute refs had been working the games.  It seems that these refs made a lot of mistakes, even costing the game for some of the teams.

Lord, we could say “Well, at least they tried” and let it go at that.  We could hope that they would get better as they learned their trade and got more experience and “coaching” for themselves.  We have been disgusted and ranted and raved and cussed them!  But, bottom line, they are who they are and it has been what it has been.  At least they tried, right, and the games went on?

Well, God the negotiations with the regular refs have borne fruit!  It may not be truly the right deal to make with them, but it is a deal and the “pro” refs are back!

So Coach, this proves we always need the Wisdom of Solomon.  Whether it is sports or business or any other part of life, we need You as our coach to stay whole, to prosper, to follow the rules of any game and to settle all differences.  Lord God, be our coach, please.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, September 26th

Good Morning, God

The headlines today speak of the United Nations.  This is the institution based in New York City where leaders and representatives of the nations of the world are meeting right now.  The headlines today also speak of United Nations, the dream and desire that the nations of the world could just get along for the good of humanity.

Lord God, what a hope this is!  What a desire this is!  Even you have this desire – that all nations will beat their swords into plowshares and that nations would not make war against each other anymore.  However, you also tell us that there will be no peace, no ceasing of wars, until all come to a knowledge of you, even a saving knowledge through Jesus Christ, your Son.

Heavenly Father, we seem to be farther away from this unity than ever before.  We even champion “diversity” rather than working toward “unity”.  So, Lord, we pray this day for the work of the United Nations to be an instrument of your desire that all may be one, just get along, and be reconciled with each other and with you, through Jesus Christ the Savior of the world.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, September 24th

Good Morning, God

Your word, O Lord, encourages us to “esteem” each other.  We often speak of “self-esteem” as being something we should all have; “ego strength” is also held out as desirous so that we can survive in our world. 

These qualities are difficult to develop, though, Lord.  We are constantly bombarded with headlines that, with the stories behind them, take away the personhood that we seek to develop.  An age-old adage that used to be on every school house wall – that still is contained in every Bible, instructs us to “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”  As if we didn’t know, this is called the “Golden Rule”, and for good reason – it is priceless.

Loving God, may we consider what we call news and headlines this day and week, and ask ourselves if it helps to build up or tear down that other person.  Let us be cognizant of how we speak of those with whom we work, those who seek to serve us, those whose job it is to make our lives easier, and those with whom we live.  May our words and actions always “esteem” one another.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, September 21st

Good Morning, God

The headlines were about a National Football Referee who was to ref a game between the New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers.  Turns out that the referee was from New Orleans and had posted several pictures of himself, in Saints’ gear tailgating at the pre-season game, onto his Facebook page.  The N.F.L. officials pulled the referee from the officiating at the game.

“It’s only a football game” some might say.  “Just because he is a fan of one of the teams doesn’t mean he won’t be fair” others might say.  “What?  Don’t you trust me?” he might say.

Heavenly Father, Ruler and Judge of the Universe, you caution us against even the appearance of wrong.  Your word tells us not to put any stumbling blocks in the path of others because of what we might be able to do.  There are a lot of things that might be permissible, but not all of them are beneficial.  Help us, Lord, to always be as circumspect and as fair as we can be – and let us judge ourselves so that others don’t have to pull us out of the game.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, September 19th

Good Morning, God

Lord, your word says to us, “What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?  You want something but don’t get it”.

Yes, James, you are absolutely right.  From as soon as we are born, we have desires.  Some desires are immediately important to our health.  Some desires come from our sinful nature.  Some desires come from our wanting to please you, our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.

But, we are human, Lord God.  We are willful people, so we quarrel and fight; we look for the specks in every eye but ours – but in ours is a log!

Lord, God, what if we would consider applying one criteria to our headlines – no political agenda, no self-aggrandizing, no ego-centeredness, no money-hunger – but the one criteria of how does what we are doing and the way we are being glorify you, Lord God.  Help our politicians, and we who support them, make better headlines because their and our own sight is on you.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, September 17th

Good morning, God

Lord, there are many men and women of every age and stage of life praying with us this morning.  They perhaps listen to these prayers all the time, or perhaps for some reason are listening by happenstance this day.  However, after any of us listens, Lord, we are listening for a word from you.  We listen for encouragement, for direction, for discipline (yes, Lord, we often want someone to tell us that what we are doing and the way we are living is not the right way, so we listen to be told by you).  We also listen for forgiveness – forgiveness for what we have done wrong or the strength to forgive someone for what they did to us.

In whatever the case, Lord Jesus, we know that your help is available for the asking.  Then, there is a ton of help available all around us with 12-step programs, prayer services, support groups.   If it is needed by someone, it is available for the asking.

Gracious God, lead us to the help we need today, for you love us and want us to have life abundantly – and help us make all the right choices.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, September 14th

Good morning, God

The headlines were about a legislative panel study about how a criminal’s past history of convictions affected his or her sentencing for any new convictions.  In fact, in a system that is supposed to both punish and rehabilitate those convicted of a crime, two-thirds of Class-D felons in prison had three or more prior convictions and three-fourths of new Class D felons had failed in at least one type of other punishment like probation, work-release or home detention.

God, you are a God of justice.  You have given us THE Law – the Ten Commandments – upon which all of our laws are based.  And, you have created us with the privilege to chose how we will live – either obeying the laws – yours and the land’s – or breaking both sets.  Your word even tells us that we are tempted by our own desires and lured and enticed by them; then when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin – to crime, and when sin – crime – is fully grown, it gives birth to death, perhaps not physical death but certainly spiritual death.  Lord, God, inspire and strengthen us to make choices to obey both your laws and society’s.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, September 12th

Good morning, God

Lord of heaven and earth, of life and of death, we ask your special presence with us today as we give respect and honor to one of our fallen young men.  Alec Terwiske is coming home to us today, but not the same way we last saw him.  Alec, one of your creations, is coming home to us in a casket.  Thankfully, his soul came home to you when his life here was snuffed out.  We give you thanks and praise for our heavenly home where there is no more death but only eternal life.

Lord of the universe, when our local men and women die in service to our country, it hits us hard because they are so close to us.  But we also need to always remember what we thought about yesterday – the terrorist attacks on the twin towers, on our country, on our democracy, on our way of life and on innocent lives.  But we don’t need to remember in order to seek revenge, but we need to remember because of the necessity to pray to you for peace and well-being, for you desire us to have peace through faith and belief in Jesus Christ, your Son.  May we all believe.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, September 10th

Good Morning, God,
On some of our church calendars, God, this week has been designated as "Christian Education Week." Of course, because of the doctrine of the separation of Church and State, we won't be doing anything special with this week in our public schools. And, we really doubt that our churches will be doing much daily, either, except maybe, beginning their mid-week, Wednesday afternoon and evening programs.
Some of us do remember the days when church and school had a more coordinated effort. Children were taught in Sunday School to respect their school teachers, because this is what Jesus would do. And, in school, children would begin the day, not just with the flag salute, but with a devotion and prayer. The Golden Rule Bible verse would be on the wall, along with the Ten Commandments.
Now, we are always trying to figure our how to instill these same principles through some sort of "values education." Interpreting Biblical values for secular society and education has always been he role of the church and Christian Education, hasn't it, God?
May it be easier in our time; may it be easier.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, September 7th

Good Morning, God,
We can truly begin our prayers today with the call, "They're off!" The political conventions of both parties are completed, the platforms are built, the candidates are named, and now the "horse race" can begins in earnest. Who will be the big winners?
You know, don't you, God? Because you place, or allow to be placed, all those who serve in the offices that govern us, you already know who will win the elections. But because of your permissive will that uses our choices, we may elect those who wouldn't be your first choices for us.
So, Lord, it may be a very wise choice for us, first of all, to seek the candidates of your will through prayerful conversations with you. To this end, then:
God, be in our heads, and in our understanding.
God, be in our eyes, and in our looking.
God, be in our mouths, and in our speaking.
God, be in our hearts, and in our thinking.

God, be in our choices, and in our voting.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, September 5th

Good Morning, God,
Some of the Indiana headlines are speaking of our school systems, the school voucher system, and the State running some of the districts. Of course, God, these are big concerns of ours because the education of our children is of the utmost importance.
God, you have given minds to meditate on the lessons, eyes to see the things to learn, ears to listen to the teachers and the teachers to the students, a heart to love learning, and a lifetime to put into practice what is learned through the power of the mind.
But, sometimes, our living situations get in the way and make learning difficult. So, for each school day, give our teachers an extra measure of patience, imagination and love as they try to shape the minds of our children. Give parents the utmost respect for the efforts our teachers are making and instill this respect in their children.
And, God, help our children to learn, to persevere through language barriers, bullying, belligerence, and boredom all the way to learning their 3 R's, and how to use what they have learned each day in the game of life.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, September 3rd

Good Morning, God

A great majority of us are off of work today, God.  We are off of work celebrating what we call “Labor Day”.  Sounds sort of oxymoronish, doesn’t it God!  But here we are with most of government, business and school shut down for a day especially designated to honor the ability we have to labor:  to imagine, to design, to construct, to produce and to maintain products and services that we need in order to live each day on this planet.  It is our labor that keeps us alive, Lord God, and we give you thanks for the innumerable ways that we can work.

Some of us work with our heads, some with our hands.  Some of us entertain others of us: some of us work helping others of us cope with what life throws at us.  Some of us are working today to keep things going and our corner of the world safe.  Yet some of us are crying for work, so this day is bitter sweet. 

Gracious God, who gave us minds to think and hands to do and hearts to care, may all we do help others, give gory to you and demonstrate our love toward others.

In Jesus’ name, Amen