Good Morning, God,
Lord who takes pleasure in our pleasures when they provide good, clean fun and enjoyment, we ask for your presence for our Strassenfest weekend. We ask for safety. We ask for pleasant weather. We ask for neighborliness. We ask for joy.
Lord, we wonder sometimes what your blessed once did for fun. We know Jesus attended a wedding, although he performed his first miracle there, so his attendance was also work. We know that Jesus attended dinner parties, but he had to work there, also, settling hurt feelings. We know that Jesus went camping and boating, but crowds followed him so much that he really had to search for lonely places so he could pray seriously to be recharged. We also know Jesus enjoyed walking and talking with friends, but his conversations seem to always leave us with something serious to ponder.
Lord, may we consider what Jesus did for enjoyment as we walk around Strassenfest these next few days.
In Jesus's name, Amen.
20130729
A Prayer for the Headlines for Monday, July 29th
Good Morning, God,
Gracious God, we pray this day for the people behind the headlines in Indianapolis. Lord, some of your followers were killed and injured when their church bus rolled over after its brakes failed. There were 40 people, mostly children and teenagers, in the 40-passenger bus returning from a fun week-long church camp in Michigan.
Lord, the inevitable questions will come: was it the driver's fault? Was it the bus' fault? (They think it was the brakes), but the question will also be as to why you would let this happen to those who love you. Why would a caring God allow this, and if you do allow this, then what's the use in believing anyway? Bad things will happen anyway. Why waste time with faith and belief in God, then?
Lord, it is a mystery about you that bad things do happen to good people. It is a mystery why your word says, "The rain falls on both the just and the unjust."
You are a mystery, loving God. Please help us solve the mystery. Until then, help us to know and love you, anyway.
In Jesus's name, Amen.
Gracious God, we pray this day for the people behind the headlines in Indianapolis. Lord, some of your followers were killed and injured when their church bus rolled over after its brakes failed. There were 40 people, mostly children and teenagers, in the 40-passenger bus returning from a fun week-long church camp in Michigan.
Lord, the inevitable questions will come: was it the driver's fault? Was it the bus' fault? (They think it was the brakes), but the question will also be as to why you would let this happen to those who love you. Why would a caring God allow this, and if you do allow this, then what's the use in believing anyway? Bad things will happen anyway. Why waste time with faith and belief in God, then?
Lord, it is a mystery about you that bad things do happen to good people. It is a mystery why your word says, "The rain falls on both the just and the unjust."
You are a mystery, loving God. Please help us solve the mystery. Until then, help us to know and love you, anyway.
In Jesus's name, Amen.
20130726
A Prayer for the Headlines for Friday, July 26th
Good Morning, God,
Heavenly Father, who causes the sun to rise and usher in a new day, we are thankful for each day that we can arise with it. We thank you that even when a new day comes with a routine, there is the promise of a few differences-different customers, different traffic, different orders, different balances, even different out-of-balances to be fixed!
We appreciate that you made us with differences and with minds and hearts to appreciate the differences. As we hear and see headlines each day, we wonder what is behind each one. The names will be different, the actions and reactions will vary, the results will be unique to the situation. "Variety" is the spice to our lives, we say.
Generous God, may we experience joy in living today. May we appreciate the differences from yesterday and expect to make tomorrow different from today. Thank you, God, for both sameness and variety.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Heavenly Father, who causes the sun to rise and usher in a new day, we are thankful for each day that we can arise with it. We thank you that even when a new day comes with a routine, there is the promise of a few differences-different customers, different traffic, different orders, different balances, even different out-of-balances to be fixed!
We appreciate that you made us with differences and with minds and hearts to appreciate the differences. As we hear and see headlines each day, we wonder what is behind each one. The names will be different, the actions and reactions will vary, the results will be unique to the situation. "Variety" is the spice to our lives, we say.
Generous God, may we experience joy in living today. May we appreciate the differences from yesterday and expect to make tomorrow different from today. Thank you, God, for both sameness and variety.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
20130724
A Prayer for the Headlines for Wednesday, July 24th
Good Morning, God,
The headlines are about how people working together were able to push a commuter rail car away from a woman who had fallen between the platform and the railcar. The train car weighed only a mere 32 tons.
A commentator made the observation that the staff and bystanders took immediate action to push on the side of the car, while some others lifted the woman up. The woman was unhurt. The train left the station only 8 min. later. The passengers had a story to tell and a good feeling to go with them. And, life returned to normal.
Lord, we are so much stronger when we push together on a project. We are so much stronger when we can get on with our daily lives after an "experience"; even a harrowing experience. We are so much stronger when we can accept situations as they are, solve the problem, and go on, without analysis, without delay, and without looking for someone to blame other than to say, "That's life, isn't it, Lord!"
In Jesus' name, Amen.
The headlines are about how people working together were able to push a commuter rail car away from a woman who had fallen between the platform and the railcar. The train car weighed only a mere 32 tons.
A commentator made the observation that the staff and bystanders took immediate action to push on the side of the car, while some others lifted the woman up. The woman was unhurt. The train left the station only 8 min. later. The passengers had a story to tell and a good feeling to go with them. And, life returned to normal.
Lord, we are so much stronger when we push together on a project. We are so much stronger when we can get on with our daily lives after an "experience"; even a harrowing experience. We are so much stronger when we can accept situations as they are, solve the problem, and go on, without analysis, without delay, and without looking for someone to blame other than to say, "That's life, isn't it, Lord!"
In Jesus' name, Amen.
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