22 September 2024 Prayer for the Pastor, Deacon, Chaplain

If you like, you can listen to Laura pray for you right here: https://www.cgpmn.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/September-222024-prayer.m4a

Gentle God,

You play favorites with me. You look at me and consider me. You created me you recreated me. You do not give up on me. Even when I am a dreamer. Even when I do not speak from your wisdom but from my own wisdom. Even when I am afraid to ask and then I go silent before you and then I argue with those around me missing the point completely. You come to me with gentleness. With purity. With mercy. With goodness. Goodness that is from you. From God. And you are willing to yield. And is that to make room for me? Is that to wait for me? Is that for you to bring your goodness out of me – the fruits that only you can bring out of me? I’m not sure but I know you then show me. You show me that my arguing that who is best who is first just doesn’t matter. That it is about your welcome. Your welcome of your favorite brothers and sisters. And your welcome of me. Showing no partiality! That we are all scandalously your favorite. How can it be? And only you can know because it is your wisdom that knows. So be with me, gracious God, today as I speak and as I sing and as I offer your words of blessing for sacraments. As I lead celebrations in worship or times of lament and mourning. Please be with my imperfect heart and mouth and actions. Inspire me to live. Inspire me to work. Inspire me to be who it is you have planted within me. As an imperfect pastor or deacon or chaplain. As an imperfect human. And yet you love me fully. And what a gift that is. Help me catch my breath this mid-September. Help me look out and see your kingdom your people. Even if my heart is broken and grieving. Even if I am distracted by other things. Pull me up short. Remind me of your great love. For me and for everyone but let it first start for me today. 

And gracious God help me be gentle with those who I love. Those who you have given to me love me best and most. Help me to manage and balance and, you know, manage all the stress of this kind of work I get to do. This work that makes it lonely. This work that is so rewarding and so difficult. Hep me not take it out on my closest loved ones. And when I do, help me to turn and to say that I’m sorry and to be forgiven. That is the rhythm you teach me. Give me your wisdom today, O God. To live out the life you show me how to live through Jesus. Amen.

Take a big ol deep breath, dear pastor, dear chaplain, dear deacon. For you labor in the Lord is not in vain. Don’t be afraid. God is with you.