Here’s an opening prayer based on the scripture texts for October 30, 2011 (Proper 26A, Ordinary 31A). It was written by Moira Laidlaw.
Opening Prayer
(based on Joshua 3: 7-17, Psalm 107: 1-7, 33-37)
God, companion and guide,
we would be lost without your direction—
wanderers in wildernesses of our own making.
wanderers in wildernesses of our own making.
We praise you for dealing so graciously
with your people in the past,
when you guided them to freedom and a promised new life.
We are heirs of that promise fulfilled in Jesus,
our Redeemer and Lord.
Through him, you have established for us
a permanent direction for our lives
and as we dwell in him, our lives are blessed with fruitfulness.
Holy God, may this time of worship
be a joyful response of praise and thanksgiving
for all that you have done,
for all that you are doing,
and for all that you will continue to do for us and all people
and for all that you will continue to do for us and all people
through the power of the Holy Spirit
and in the name of Jesus. Amen.
— Copyright © Moira Laidlaw, posted on her Liturgies Online website. Visit that site for other great lectionary-based resources.
