January 1 2021
O Lord our God, as we begin this new year may we take it as a fresh start. Allow us to have the anticipation of great things happening and focus on the possibilities. May we keep the hatred and anger that can grow in times of tension from having a foothold this year. May the leaders of our world find ways to make this world more caring of one another and may we find ways to lift up those who are struggling. Give us the strength to do what is right and just when temptations are put in front of us. May we measure our actions based on your commandments surrounding love for You and our neighbors. For those who are beginning this year with challenges like, illness, poverty and depression feel your presence and find the love and support to lift them out of that place. Let us be acutely aware of the needs of those around us and respond as you would have us to those needs. May this year be one that is filled with your spirit of Love, Compassion and Grace. All this we ask in your most Holy Name. Amen
January 2 2021
Healing God, we are only two days into the new year and we still have many of the challenges that the previous year gave us. Help us to remain diligent in protecting each other. We appear to be in the worst part of our fight against the coronavirus and we need your healing power in so many ways. May we be willing to be inconvenienced in order that we might protect others. Give those who are struggling through this comfort and strength as they work through the challenges of following the advice of medical professionals. May we find ways to be healed by the illness of hatred that seems to have permeated our society. Help us to respond to those who are trying to divide us by spreading the unifying Love for our neighbors that to which you have called us. Again, be with the people who are caring for us and providing for our daily needs. Protect them as they put themselves in harms way for us. Be with those who are charged with distributing the vaccine and help them to accomplish their task in as quick and safe a way as possible. May we go out of our way to treat one another with love and patience. May our sacrifices today be the catalyst for us to move beyond the challenges in our immediate future. May the completeness of your healing power fill us. Amen
January 3 2021
O Lord our God, thank you for your creation. We don’t often appreciate all that this world has to offer for which we have little or no role in making happen. Help us to notice the many gifts we have been given and seize the opportunities you give us to be fully present to this day. May we see the beauty around us and cherish it. Let us hear the songs of the day and revel in their beauty. Let the aromas of this day be filled with your creation. Whether it is the smell after a rainfall to the myriad plants around us that help us think of wonderful times. Let us experience the beauty of the landscapes we see today and escape for a little while from the anxieties and challenges that the world we have tried to create seems to have in abundance. Instead, let us take this day to relax surrounded by your creation and those we love. All this we ask in your name. Amen.
January 4 2021
Protective God, many people are returning to work following the holidays today during what appears to be the worst of the pandemic so far. Please protect the teachers, students and other workers who are more at risk than they have been in a few weeks. May all of us continue to do the things that protect each other even though they are inconvenient. Help those people for whom protecting others is less important than their comfort find ways to accomplish what they intend without putting others at risk. Be with us all as we hopefully are moving toward fewer people infected by this horrible virus. For those who are infected please give those who are caring for them healing hands while protecting them from further spread. May we put others safety in the forefront of our minds as we live this and every day. All this we ask in the name of a God who wants us to all be well. Amen
January 5 2021
O Lord our God, the numbers of people infected by COVID-19 seems to still be growing at a pace that is truly scary. Be with those who are infected and are struggling. There are too many families that cannot be with those they love because of how crowded the ICU’s are. Comfort them in their time of need. Be with all the others who are dealing with illnesses other than COVID-19 whose treatments are being impacted by the spread. Protect those who have preexisting conditions that put them at a higher risk of complications. May people be zealous in their desire to protect each other. Give the caregivers protection and support as they deal with the incredible stress that surrounds treating people at this time. Comfort those who are dealing with depression, anxiety and other illnesses that are exacerbated by the myriad challenges that are present today that seem greater than normal. Allow us to find ways to express our love for one another and for you in ways that lift people up. Let your love so permeate our being that the evil of hate and distrust does not have a chance of growing. All this we ask in the Your name. Amen
January 6 2021
O Lord our God, you make yourself present in so many ways that we miss. Help us to see you today in ways we often pass by. May we do things that express our love for one another in new ways. Allow us to be aware when we can be kind to others and empower us to express that kindness. If we get anxious, help us to step back and find peace. Let us not respond in anger today, but find ways to remain calm in challenging situations. May we accept that there will be things that happen today beyond our control and be gallant in how respond to that lack of control. May we have the strength to face all that happens today and respond in a way that expresses love. Let those who are struggling today feel your presence in how we respond to them. And lastly, allow us to feel your guiding presence throughout the day. All this we ask in your Holy Name. Amen
January 7 2021
Compassionate God, yesterday our country witnessed unprecedented attacks on our democracy. We are hurting and scared. From the people who perpetrated the attack to those of us who watched it happen we are obviously very divided. Help us to find better ways to disagree. Be with our elected officials and help them to come together to do what is right for our country. May violence never be the answer. May we find and act upon those things for which we agree and try once again to peacefully interact with each other. May we put love for one another ahead of political gains. It will take us a while to recover from yesterday’s actions and we will need your presence even more than ever. May we feel your presence as we hopefully move back from the cliff whose edge seems so near. May those who want to act out in violence look for peaceful means to express their anger. All this we ask in the name of God. Amen.
January 8 2021
Creator God, this week has been a challenge for many people. So many people are affected by the pandemic, and are stressed about how our world seems to be responding to each other. May we take the time to look at our fellow sisters and brothers as beloved children of God. May we understand that our time with them is a gift and find ways to celebrate the opportunity to be in community with other people. While we are finding new and different ways to gather, let us find joy in the reality that there is a God who wants our joy to be complete and desires us to love one another as we are loved by God. May we go out of our way to express our compassion for those in need and support for those who care for them. All this we ask in your most Holy Name. Amen.
January 9 2021
Loving God, you provide so much and we tend to be people who take. May we be thankful for all that we have been given and use those gifts in ways that lift people up. When we are tempted to take more than we need, let us instead leave some for others. When we have more than enough, help us to find ways to share in our abundance. When we are given the opportunity to serve others, may we recognize it, and our response be one filled with compassion. When we are faced with anger, may we respond with love. When we encounter people, may we treat them as honored guests in spite of the challenges that sets before us. When others are not as caring toward those around them, may we by our example be caring to all. Let this day be one where our actions express our thanksgiving for all the blessings in our lives. All this we ask in your name. Amen
Prayers for Challenging Times 