A PRAYER FOR THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

2Kings 5

8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy![f] 12 Are not Abana[g] and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

15 Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.” 16 But he said, “As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing!” He urged him to accept, but he refused. 17 Then Naaman said, “If not, please let two mule-loads of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god except the Lord. 18 But may the Lord pardon your servant on one count: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when I do bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon your servant on this one count.” 19 He said to him, “Go in peace.”

We pray for healing O God

We pray that our afflictions cease

our pain be relieved

our suffering abated

We have prayed many times

We have prayed many places

We have prayed many ways

Hear our prayer O Lord

We pray for healing O God

We pray that our sight may be restored

We pray that our steps may gain strength

We pray that our sores may be healed

We offer our petitions in worship

We meditate alone in silence

We whisper to you at our bedside

Hear our prayer O Lord

Thank you God of all creation

for you restore us to wholeness

and newness of life

Thank you God of the Spirit

for you enter into us

and plant sparks of life

Thank you God of the morning

for you give us vision

to see each new day

Thank you God of Life

for you live in and beside us

and give us abundant and eternal life

Thank you, O God

for hearing our prayers

healing our hurts

and granting us peace

Amen

A Prayer for the Second Sunday after Pentecost

Luke 10

He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

But say the word, and my servant will be healed

We don't know how to act, Jesus

We're not sure we deserve your grace

We try to do our best

We strive to make it on our own

run our businesses

take charge of our lives

raise our families to be winners

better, stronger, smarter, richer

You come, Jesus, and turn us upside down

by your gift of grace

reminding us that not by our efforts

or successes or achievements

but through your grace that we have life

and life abundantly

But say the word, and my servant will be healed.

We don't know how to act, Jesus

We're not sure we deserve your forgiveness

We make so many mistakes

mess so many things up

we confess that we fail to do our part

in healing the world's pain

too often focusing on our own hurts

remaining selfish and greedy

You come, Jesus, and turn us upside down

by your acts of forgiveness

You take away our sins and debts and trespasses

and wipe our blemishes

giving us a life free to live

and live abundant

But say the word, and my servant will be healed.

We don't know how to act, Jesus

We're not sure we deserve your love

We really don' know how to love

love others or love ourselves

We know how to use and abuse

manipulate people for our rewards

We build walls to hide behind

letting no one and nothing

You come, Jesus, and turn everything upside down

You love us unconditionally

wrapping your arms around us

instilling your Spirit with us

freeing us to live life to the fullest

and live it abundantly

Thank you, Lord Jesus

Thank you for your grace

Thank you for your forgiveness

Thank you for your love

Amen

A PRAYER FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

1 Kings 17 (NIV)

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

17 Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”

19 “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”

22 The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!”

24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”

Do you hear us, O God?

In the night when sleep comes not

and worries dance

and fears fill the hours

Do you hear our desperate cries?

When we have sat by the bedside

of a sick and wounded friend

When we have visited and had another conversation with a parent who cannot respond

Do you hear our mournful sighs?

Do you hear us, O God?

When our cries for safety are answered with more war, more violence, more terror

When we bury too many brothers and sisters

when too many parents become childless

and too many children are orphaned

Do you hear our pleas for peace?

When our children cry out with empty stomachs

cupboards are bare

the refrigerator empty

money gone

local pantry closed

Do you hear our hunger pangs?

We pray to you O God

knowing and believing

You hear

You listen

You love

You act

We know and believe that your Spirit stirs in our slumber and greets us each morning

We know and believe you are present with us in our living and in our dying

We know and believe that your Kingdom of peace and justice will reign forever

We know and believe that we will all feast at your banquet and dance in your sunshine

We pray to you O God

knowing and believing

You hear

You listen

You love

You act

Amen

A PRAYER FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Psalm 5

1 Listen to my words, Lord,

consider my lament.

2 Hear my cry for help,

my King and my God,

for to you I pray.

3 In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you

and wait expectantly.

4 For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;

with you, evil people are not welcome.

5 The arrogant cannot stand

in your presence.

You hate all who do wrong;

6 you destroy those who tell lies.

The bloodthirsty and deceitful

you, Lord, detest.

7 But I, by your great love,

can come into your house;

in reverence I bow down

toward your holy temple.

8 Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness

because of my enemies—

make your way straight before me.

Hear us, O God

for we are surrounded by enemies

They are all around us

hemming us in

threatening our happiness

grabbing at what we have

wanting our good and rewarding life

They are all around us

wanting to do us harm

hurt us

leave us wounded

unable to walk or run or move

Hear us, O God

for we are surrounded by enemies

They are all around us

we cannot escape them

we cannot flee them

they follow and stalk us

wherever we go

They are all around us

we cannot hide from them

we cannot protect ourselves from them

no fort is strong enough

no bunker deep enough

Hear us, O God

for we are surrounded by enemies

They are all around us

because we are our own enemies

Our arrogance presumes we can do anything

build

create

conquer

defend

All we have

Yet our arrogance leads only

to our self destruction

Builds us up

for a great fall

and we lose all we have

They are all around us

because we are our own enemies

We do wrong

and call it right

We bomb to keep evil away

We cheat to keep poverty away

We abuse to satisfy our needs

Yet our wrong

turns back upon ourselves

Our bombs hurts us

Our cheating robs us

Our abuse scars us

Forgive us, O God

and lead us in the paths of righteousness

Teach us the humility of the One

who bore the cross in humble obedience

Show us how to follow your teachings

and love and cherish and forgive each other

Give us the strength to choose right over wrong

and learn the ways of peace and justice

May we cease being our worst enemy

May we love ourselves

and love each other

as you, O God, love us

Amen