A PRAYER FOR LENT 4 OT

Psalm 32

1 Blessed is the one

    whose transgressions are forgiven,

    whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the one

    whose sin the Lord does not count against them

    and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent,

    my bones wasted away

    through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night

    your hand was heavy on me;

my strength was sapped

    as in the heat of summer.[b]

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you

    and did not cover up my iniquity.

I said, “I will confess

    my transgressions to the Lord.”

And you forgave

    the guilt of my sin.

They weigh on us Lord

Our sins

Trespasses

Debts

Sometimes we want to run away

Hide

Bury ourselves in a blanket

of shame

So many times we planned to

do but didn't

Made commitments to you

to neighbors and friends

family and church

We get busy

look to our own schedules

set our priorities

to fit our needs

and forget what we promised

Forgive us loving God

They weigh on us Lord

Our sins

Trespasses

Debts

We mouth the words

of commitment

Look at the homeless

the lonely and hurt

the elderly and lost

But other than an occasional

few dollars for a special offering

or donations to the local

Food pantry

It's mostly words not acts

Forgive us loving God

They weigh on us Lord

Our sins

Trespasses

Debts

We hurt the ones we love

Using them

ignoring them

Taking them for granted

hoping they don't notice

We are always selfish

wanting to meet our needs

so that our families and friends

become appendages

to decorate our lives

Forgive us loving God

They weigh on us Lord

Our sins

Trespasses

Debts

We retreat from

those we love

or want to love

Soothing our fears

before we are wounded

We fight those who

reach out to us

swatting away love extended

Oblivious to spouse and children

parents and friends

Forgive us loving God

Lift our burden of guilt

and free us from our shame

Grant us the courage

to serve your children

May we continually seek

Your forgiveness

so that we may be renewed

for life for you

and for others

Count not our sins against us

Cleanse our spirits and our souls

that we may be redeemed

to give you the glory

thanksgiving and honor

Amen

A PRAYER FOR LENT 3 OT

Isaiah 55.1-3 (NIV)

“Come, all you who are thirsty,

    come to the waters;

and you who have no money,

    come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

    without money and without cost.

2 Why spend money on what is not bread,

    and your labor on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,

    and you will delight in the richest of fare.

3 Give ear and come to me;

    listen, that you may live.

2 Why spend money on what is not bread,

    and your labor on what does not satisfy?

We sure do like to spend our money Lord

We barely put it in our pockets

it burns a hole in there

and out it goes

We sure do like to spend our money Lord

We go to Kohl's and Walmart

looking for bargains

and getting the latest fashions

We sure do like to spend our money Lord

Unwrap the wads

pull put our cards and checks

and spend spend spend

2 Why spend money on what is not bread,

    and your labor on what does not satisfy?

We work hard for our money Lord

We want to be rewarded

Lavish it on ourselves

and our families

We work hard for our money Lord

We've earned a vacation

Take that trip we always wanted

and cruise and party and dine

We work hard for our money Lord

Got to have the home of our dreams

Two or three cars in the driveway

and a pool out back

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,

    and you will delight in the richest of fare.

Forgive us Lord

for we know not what we need

only what we want

Show us true riches found

in your grace

and wrapped in your forgiveness

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,

    and you will delight in the richest of fare.

Forgive us Lord

for desiring the bread of this world

and not the bread of heaven

Bring us into your presence

that we may feast at your banquet

and share the bread and wine

3 Give ear and come to me;

    listen, that you may live.

Humbly we come to listen

and feast on your words

Gladly we come to the waters

to be cleansed by your baptism

Boldly we go forth

to share the Good News

Lovingly we reach out

to share our bounty and our love

Amen

A PRAYER FOR LENT 3 NT

6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

Are we ready for pruning for, Lord

We have not grown

We have stunted in our faith

Not stretched

Not questioned

Not risked

We like where we are

Safe in the pew

Quiet in our den

Thoughtful

Introspective

Are we ready for pruning for, Lord

We are dying on the vine

Withering away

Dead to the outside world

Aloof

Protected

We are blinded by the sun

Unable to see the other

In the street

At the shelter

In our way

Are we ready for pruning for, Lord

We have produced no fruit

Nothing on our branches

Empty space

Barren limbs

Nothing fills the void

We are leafless, lifeless

No produce for others to share

No apples to feast on

No juices to enjoy

Good only for waste

Are we ready for pruning for, Lord

Forgive us, God

Fertilize us that we may grow

in the glory of your love

that we may love others

Forgive us, God

Enrich us with you grace

so that we may comfort

and reach out to those who mourn

Forgive us God

Embolden us with your spirit

that we may preach the Good News

and liberate the captives

Amen

A PRAYER FOR LENT2  NT

Luke 13:31-35 (NIV)

31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”

32 He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!

34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’[a]”

Help us to follow you

Lord Jesus

Follow you to march on our cities

of loneliness and hunger

We have driven so many

into the streets and doorways

Stranded them from decency and integrity

Dishonored them by foolish politics

and greedy business

Let us declare with you we are

driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow

Help us to follow you

Lord Jesus

Follow you to march on our cities

of violence and anger

We have put our children in danger

with our weapons and destructiveness

Armed them with weapons

beyond their understanding

and emotions beyond their perception

Let us declare with you we are

driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow

Help us to follow you

Lord Jesus

Follow you to march on our cities

of aging and despair

We have placed our elders out of sight

and away from our presence

Abandoning them to empty hallways

and chained to chairs of loneliness

Let us declare with you we are

driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow

Help us to follow you

Lord Jesus

Follow you to march on our cities

of wanton waste and squander

We have created a disposable culture

where we use and throw away

Here today and gone tomorrow

while your planet weeps 

and our skies and rivers decay

Let us declare with you we are

driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow

Help us to follow you

Lord Jesus

That we may boldly go to our cities

our Jerusalems and our Washingtons

driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow

Amen

A PRAYER FOR ASH WEDNESDAY NT

Matthew 6:5-8 (MSG)

5 “And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?

6 “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.

No one listens

Lord

There is so much noise

My cries get lost in cacophonous sounds

in the babble and clamor

of rush and bustle

No one hears

No one listens

Lord

Everyone has their earplugs and earphoneLos

listening to music and chatter

avoiding who and what is going on around them

No one hears

No one listens

Lord

There is so much business and craziness

Schedules are jam packed

No one has time

Nobody stops

No one listens

Lord

My cries echo in empty rooms

pews are lonely places

park benches find birds and squirrels

No one stops

O God of grace

You are the one who hears every cry

Who hears before our words are spoken

Hear our prayer

O God of grace

You are the one who knows every need

Who provides us with our daily bread

Hear our prayer

O God of grace

You who comforts all who mourn

Who wipes the tears from every eye

Hear our prayer

O God of grace

You who forgives every sin

Who washes our souls whiter than snow

Hear our prayer

Praise you

God of grace

Thank you

God of creation

Amen

A PRAYER FOR ASH WEDNESDAY OT

JOEL 2

12Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. 14Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord, your God

Our hearts weep for the sins of the people

We have turned from the ways of God

and followed the paths of deceit

We have replace our word as our bond

with manipulation of fact and feeling

We bear false witness against neighbor and friend

to gain an advantage or score a point

Relent your anger, O God, and extend

to us your blessing

Our hearts weep for the sins of the people

We have turned from the light of your glory

and walk in the darkness of greed

We busy ourselves by estimating our portfolios

and neglect to count our blessings

We work and scheme and gamble for riches

and reap the poverty of our prayers and devotion

Relent your anger, O God, and extend

to us your blessing

Our hearts weep for the sins of the people

We have turned from the things that make for peace

and pursued the methodology of war

We abandon our plowshares and pruning hooks

and grab our swords and shields

We conquer and ravage and subdue

and fail to understand and reconcile and forgive

 Relent your anger, O God, and extend

to us your blessing

Our hearts weep for the sins of the people

We hide in our mansions of fear and doubt

and avoid the streets and shadows

We pass by victims in the ditches and doorsteps

and hurry to the party or feast

We deflect opportunities for giving and serving

and drop our pittance in the offering plate

Relent your anger, O God, and extend

to us your blessing

Forgive us

Redeem us

Restore us

Amen