with the struggles of balancing work, family, school, and
appeared; you spoke and humans were created in your
our relationship with you. We need, God, the
image. You exhaled, and creation came alive; You
reassurance of your presence with us during both the
exhaled and humans became living beings. You formed
difficult and easy times, knowing that you do not
us in your image and gave us our first breath. When
abandon us in times of need or joy. We need to learn
we were but children, You discovered the world with us
to trust in You, to live our unanswered questions and to
and struggled alongside us through our youth; you held
look for the surprising ways we see your promise of life
our hand as we walked through the difficult spots and
unfold around us. Help us, God, to do all things in the
danced with us when we knew joy. Time and time
hope that You can redeem seemingly hopeless
again, you have called us by name and invited us to
situations in our world and in our lives.
explore your creation. You have called us to new
Loving God, you embrace us even in the times we
opportunities and invited us to know ourselves. You
are forced to die to old ways of thinking and doing.
have loved us as your children and challenged us to live
Give us the courage that we may not hide from those
out our full potential.
who suffer. We pray for those places in our world
Journeying God, we are here today as a response
where healing is needed: for those who are ill, for
to your call in our lives. Like the disciples of Jesus and
those who are victims of violence, for the hungry, for
others, we seek to understand the mystery of the
those who face the realities of human frailt, for victims
Gospel, how your expansive love includes all people,
of natural and human disasters. God of Tenderness
even us. At the beginning of a new semester, we
may they know your presence. Give us strength to walk
anticipate the excitement of learning new things, along
with, and if needed, to hold up those among us who are
wounded all forms of prejudice, hatred, and fear. Show
us how we might work in our world, right where we are, to bring wholeness into the lives of individuals, communities, and nations. Invigorating God, propel us along our journeys that we make seek to walk in the way of Jesus: refusing to be dead in the midst of life and defying those who ignore glaring needs and insistent cries for help. Empower us, Creator God, to be true images of You to all the world. In this time of worship, may we be filled to overflowing with love for you, love for all your children, and yes even love for ourselves. Hear our prayer, O God, Amen.