Prayers for Sunday March 4, 2001

First Sunday in Lent

Invocation or Call to Worship (Paraphrased Ps 91:1-2, 9-16)

Not yet deep in Lent but deep enough in life, we call upon You, O God. Draw near. Save us from shallow living and prepare us for the deep. Give us an interest in what is truly important, and let the rest go by. May something change in us this Lent, and may it change soon. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

O Lord, it is so easy to give in, to turn over and go back to sleep. We confess that we keep looking for the easy way to do things. We want to find the best short cut, the quickest solution with no risk and no work. After all isn't that the way the world works? Don't those who have the quick and easy solution often get elected to office or become popular or find media popularity? So Lord, why can't we take the easy way, why do we have to follow Jesus and turn our back on the quick rich schemes of life that lead to fame and fortune? On the other hand Lord, maybe You are pointing us to something a lot more eternal and a lot more fun. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication

It is so easy to be thankful when we have just been given a present Lord, when we have unexpectedly been complimented or praised. But Lord, help us to be thankful all of the time especially when things are not going our way. In these moments of giving let us find thankfulness in our lives. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer

For the energy to live strong and deep, we give you thanks, O God. For all that gets in our way, for all that trivializes you and us and living, we repent. And for the time to be changed into Your heirs, we pray. Let the time that is left in our life be even better than what has already come—and when we wake up tomorrow, let us be aware of Your presence.

For those who are afraid, for those who can't go on, and for those who have had enough, we also pray. May we find a way to be their companion and to make their loads lighter. May we somehow reach out when we don't know what to do.

Through Jesus Christ, our companion in things light and heavy, good and bad, we say Amen.