Here’s a
prayer of intercession from World in
Prayer. Although it is inspired by
the upcoming election in the United States, the issues it addresses go beyond
borders.
Prayer of Intercession
Holy and
loving God,
the mystery
of elections and civics and citizenship is upon us.
We understand that our loyalties, our citizenship, our priorities
We understand that our loyalties, our citizenship, our priorities
are shared
between heaven and earth,
between
here and there,
even
between my will and yours.
You taught us to pray "thy kingdom come,
You taught us to pray "thy kingdom come,
thy will be
done on earth as it is in heaven,"
and we
despair at how that is to be.
But we try.
We promise.
And we will keep trying.
Help us not to join the legions of the cynical
But we try.
We promise.
And we will keep trying.
Help us not to join the legions of the cynical
or the
purveyors of division
or the
arrogance of "my way or the highway".
Help us instead to yearn and to pray for Arab Springs
Help us instead to yearn and to pray for Arab Springs
to produce
the delight of spring.
Help us in our love for freedom to produce the delight of freedom.
Help us in the exercise of our citizenship
Help us in our love for freedom to produce the delight of freedom.
Help us in the exercise of our citizenship
to produce
the delight of a great citizenship.
Despite the inevitability of winners and losers,
Despite the inevitability of winners and losers,
help us
neither to be sore losers nor sore winners.
Hold before
us the wisdom of Solomon,
to yearn to
know right from wrong and choose the right
God of all nations,
God of all nations,
we rejoice
in signs of hope around your good creation.
We know
that there are pitfalls and potholes along the way;
let us rejoice in courage and perseverance.
let us rejoice in courage and perseverance.
We dwell in
your ancient promise
that we can
run and not be weary,
walk and
not faint,
as we journey
toward being the people and nations you will us to be.
From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe,
from north to south
and east to west,
from Maine to California,
from red state to blue,
from one "ism" to another,
we choose to believe that Christ is greater than
any failure,
any weakness,
any pitfall or pothole,
any candidate, election or plan.
With that boldness we live our citizenship,
From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe,
from north to south
and east to west,
from Maine to California,
from red state to blue,
from one "ism" to another,
we choose to believe that Christ is greater than
any failure,
any weakness,
any pitfall or pothole,
any candidate, election or plan.
With that boldness we live our citizenship,
one foot in
heaven, one firmly on earth.
Amen.
Amen.
~ from World in Prayer, a ministry of the Episcopal
Church of St. John the Baptist in Lodi, California, USA. Prayers are written by a team of writers representing
different denominations throughout the U.S., Canada and Great Britain. http://www.worldinprayer.org/
