Author: cmkenlin

Making Mistakes (Luke 15:11-32)

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We make a lot of mistakes in our lives.
Some of our mistakes hurt only ourselves.
Some of our mistakes hurt those we care the most about.
Some of our mistakes hurt You
even as You love us as Your children.

We ask your forgiveness even as we celebrate your loving embrace.
You know us better than we know ourselves.
You have accepted our apology before we have voiced the words or thoughts.

We make a lot of mistakes in our lives.
Fear makes us harden our hearts and builds barriers between us and others.
Ignorance allows us to make bad decisions.
Hurt feelings cause grudges that widen the gaps between us.
Pride prevents us from forgiving those around us.
Jealousy says words that build ourselves up by tearing others down.
Greed encourages us to take things away from others.

We ask your forgiveness even as we celebrate your loving embrace.
You know us better than we know ourselves.
You have accepted our apology before we have voiced the words or thoughts.

Remind us that we are your children.
Remind us that we are your children, equally loved and uniquely cherished.
As we love our children, despite their mistakes, you love us.
We do not take your acceptance for granted and raise our voices in apology and thanksgiving.

We are far from perfect, Lord, but we know that you are with us always.
We know that you are with ___ who need your extra support and care today.
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, you have been and will be with us,
even if we have not been with you.
As your children, as your disciples, we use the words that Jesus taught us,
“Our Father…”

Betrayal (Matthew 26:17-30)

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Betrayal can take many forms.

Our bodies betray us as we age.
Things we used to do easily become difficult.
Help us, Father, to accept these changes and to adapt.

Our friends betray us by ignoring our times of pain.
We expect them to know what we need and become angry when they fail us.
Help us, Father, to openly reach out to others and tell them what we need.

Our careers betray us when jobs are lost.
One day we head off to work. The next day, we search the want ads
wondering where we went wrong.
Help us, Father, to recognize our self-worth.

Jesus, you knew the pain of betrayal.
We know the pain of betrayal
and we recognize that we are, sometimes, the betrayer.
And we know that sometimes we betray you, Lord,
just as sometimes we betray ourselves.

Betrayal can take many forms.
And yet your forgiveness is constant.
Your love is constant.
Be with those among us who need your strength and love.

Jesus, you knew the pain of betrayal and yet you stayed with your disciples.
You taught them the words we use today,
“Our Father..”

Forgetting We Were Made in Your Image (1 Corinthians 12:1-13)

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We often compare ourselves to each other,
sometimes favorably and sometimes unfavorably.
We compete with each other and with ourselves.
None of us believe we are as good as we should be.

We forget that you have made us in your image,
and that each of us has the gifts and challenges that you have given us.
You have shaped us to your purpose.
We forget that we are brothers and sisters in the body of Christ.

Teach us that when we are looking at others,
we should be looking to see how we can help them
or how they can help us grow.
You have shaped us to your purpose.

We have the gifts, talents and challenges that you have given us.
Teach us to use our gifts to help those around us.
Show us how our talents can be used to fulfill your plans.
Remind us how our challenges strengthen us and
help us grow.

We are your children, Lord.
Made in your image, each of us uniquely loved and cherished.
Remind us that we are good enough
Remind us to love ourselves as you love us.
Remind us to love each other and to celebrate each other.

We know that you are with us.
We ask that you be with ___.
As your children, we lift our hearts up to you
and offer ourselves to you.
We use the words your son taught us,
“Our Father…”

Water of Our Baptism (Matthew 28:16-23)

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We are often unprepared for the situations we find ourselves in.

No matter how many parenting books we read, no matter how many conversations we have before the birth,
no one is prepared for that moment we realize we are now the parents.
We alone are responsible for this child.
We talk about how to drive in the snow and ice,
but the first time we find ourselves sliding on the ice,
we are never prepared for that sinking feeling and the panic of being out of control.
We say that we stand up for our principles and for what we believe in.
And then we are faced with peer pressure,
opposition from those we believe have power over us,
and we give in.

You have shown us that even Jesus’ disciples faced doubt
and were unprepared at times.
Fill us with your Holy Spirit, prepare us for those unexpected moments.
Give us the strength and wisdom we will need to get
through those moments of panic.
Remind us we are not alone in those cold and lonely moments
in the middle of the night.

The water of our baptism poured into us, filled us with your grace.
Grace we cannot earn and cannot say we deserve.
But as our parents loved us,
you love us unconditionally and without reservation.
Open our hearts to your love.
Fill us again, and always, with your grace.

The water of our baptism heals us.
The water of our baptism flows to and from each of us,
connecting us as the body of Christ,
uniting us as one.
We know that you are with us now as you were with us then.
Be with those among us today who are feeling pain and need your healing touch.

As your baptized children, we know the power of prayer.
We lift our hearts to you in prayer, using the words your Son taught us,
“Our Father…”

Teach Us (Matthew 22:34-46)

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God of Love, Life and Laughter
Teach us to celebrate each day
and to cherish our loved ones.
Remind us that life is to be enjoyed
and experiences are to be shared.
Laugh with us as we make our journey,
sometimes gracefully and sometimes
rather clumsily.

God of Forgiveness and Grace
Teach us to freely apologize when we are wrong
and to set blame aside when we have been wronged.
Remind us that we are humans and
we will make mistakes.
Comfort us when we feel alone and isolated.

God of Strength and Wisdom
Teach us that it is alright to lean on others
and to accept their help.
Remind us to be aware of those around us who need our help.
Empower us to speak for those without a voice
and to make a way for those who are lost.

God of Creation, our Father God and our Mother God,
Remind us to follow in your son’s footsteps.
Jesus taught us to love one another as we love ourselves,
Teaching us in words and in deeds.
We are also your children, made in your image.
Open our eyes so that we see that image of God
in each other’s faces and in their actions.
Soften our hearts so that we can allow others to touch us
and impact our lives.
Use our hands to do your will in this world.

God of Love and Light
You are with us always
showing us the way.
We ask that you be with __
And we use the words that Your Son taught us,
“Our Father…”

We Are Your People (Revelation 7:9-17)

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The body of Christ is made up of people
from every nation, tribe, people and language.
We are your people, Lord.
We stand before you, offering our praise and thanks.
We are the believers dressed in white robes.

We come to your table as one.
Our background is diverse,
our skin color varies,
ourlanguage choices differ
But we are one, we are your people, your children,
created in the image of God.

We are the body of Christ,
we are your children.
You wipe away our tears and serve us the living water.
We stand before you, offering our praise and thanks.
Remind us to share your story with those around us.

We celebrate your story, your teachings, your deeds.
Remind us to put your teachings into action,
to make earth as it is in heaven.
We are your people,
we are your hands here on earth,
we are your eyes here on earth, and
we are your ears here on earth.

We are the believers, it is up to us to praise you,
to share your story with others.
Give us the strength to share that story.
Give us the strength to be your advocates.
And give your strength and your grace to those
among us who need your care today.
We ask you to be with __ today.

As your children, we celebrate the uniqueness of each other,
we feel your love and cherish that love.
As members of the body of Christ, we use the words that Christ taught us,
“Our Father…”

Our Public Face (Matthew 6:5-13)

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Lord, we confess that we often wear a public face.
We say what we think that people want us to say
even if we think differently inside.
We do what others expect us to do
rather than what you would expect us to do.

We lift our prayers and concerns up to you
and know that you hear our every word.
You know our public words
and our private thoughts and actions.
You know what we ask for and
you know what we truly need.
You know us completely and you cherish us
as we are.
We know that you are with us and
we feel your loving presence with us always.

Help us to merge our private and public lives
into the life that you have modeled for us.
Help us to see what is important in our lives.
Remind us that worldly riches and earthly things
are temporary.
We say the words, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”
Give us the strength and will to make those words come true.

You know our public words
and our private thoughts and actions.
Nudge us when you see us acting like hypocrites.
Nudge us when you see us ignoring those in need.
Nudge us when we begin following a different path.

We know that you are with us always.
We ask that you especially share your grace and strength with ___
We pray with the words that Jesus taught us,
“Our Father….”

God of Second Chances ( John 21:15-19)

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Thank you for loving us always.
You are the God of second chances
Even when we don’t forgive ourselves,
You give us another chance.

You know that we also love you
but sometimes we don’t show it.
Sometimes we focus too much on ourselves.
Sometimes we worry about the wrong things.
Remind us to focus on you and your teachings.
Remind us to follow you.
Remind us to take care of each other.

You are the God of second chances,
of third chances and fourth chances.
Remind us that we are human
but we can seek the divine.
Quiet our minds so that we can take the time
to hear you, to seek you out in the quiet space.
Open our hearts to your plan and your teachings.

As the God of second chances,
you accept us as we are and
take pride in whom we will become.
You ask us if we will love and follow you.
We offer our lives to you, we offer our hearts to you.

Thank you for loving us always.
You are the God of second chances.
We ask that you share your grace and love with ___
As your children, we use the words your Son taught us,
“Our Father…”

The Gifts You Have Given Us (Matthew 25:31-46)

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God of Thanksgiving
We are your people.
You have given us the gifts of empathy and compassion
Your son showed us how to value the powerless,
Open our hearts to the powerless today.
Help us to stand up for them and to support them in their journey,
recognizing that we are on this journey together.

God of Thanksgiving
We are your people.
You have given us the gifts of insight and appreciation.
We realize that as you have blessed us, we must also bless one another.
You have given us gifts, spiritual and monetary.
Open our hearts so that we share willingly with one another.
Take the judgment away from our acts of charity.
Help us realize that we are no better than the ones we are helping.

God of Thanksgiving
We are your people.
You have given us the gifts of responsiveness and recognition.
We know that we have the strength to stand up for those who have no voice
You have given us the task of making this earth the same as heaven,
we say those words every week, and every day,
your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven
Help us to make it so.

God of Thanksgiving
We are your people.
You have given us the gifts of mercy and humanity.
We are your children and we know that you are with us
Be with ___
Open our hearts to those around us who are in need
Give us the strength to stand up for those who need support
Make us the ones who not only share your story but also put your words into action.

As your children, we use the words that your Son taught us:
“Our Father, …”

We Remember Your Promise (Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:2-4, 3:17-19)

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Sometimes when we look at our world,
our eyes fill with tears.
We wonder why hate seems to thrive,
why pain is a constant presence
and why greed champions over justice.
We cry out at times that it is not fair.
We ask where you are, Lord,
and lift our fears up to you
hoping you will give us peace and power.

Our brothers and sisters march in protest,
asking if they matter, if they have any importance.
We find ourselves judged and given privilege or censure
based on our appearance, our education, and
our social class.
Our young people ask, what is important in this life?
Our middle-aged ask, why have the rules changed?
Our elderly ask, who will take care of us?

If we are honest with ourselves, Lord,
we know that our world is a reflection of our choices.
It is not you who has set up a battle between good and evil,
it is us.
When we allow ourselves to focus on money and power,
we forget to focus on what is important and on what we need,
instead we focus on what we want.
When we focus on ourselves,
we ignore those among us who need our help.

Sometimes when we look at our world,
our eyes fill with tears.
But, we remember, your promise, your strength.
You are our Savior and
we will learn to answer our questions by truly practicing your teachings.
We are the ones who can make a difference in this world.
Fill us with your strength and grace.
Be with those among us who need you the most, ___

We wait for you, and as we wait,
remind us to also act,
to make this world a more just and peaceful place.
As we wait, we use the words your son taught us,
“Our Father…”