Lord, pour out Your Love, Life, and Liberty

Thursday, May 6, 2021

The 2021 theme is based on 2 Corinthians 3:17:

Gracious God,

You are the One on whom we call and we praise Your name always. We are mindful of the words recorded in scripture that say we ought always to pray and not faint, and we lift our prayers with others today as we pray for our nation. We are a people divided and yet we pray for unity in You. We are a people who are grieved and yet, we pray with thankful hearts. You have filled our land with all we need to live in harmony with all of creation. May we reach for all that is good and right before us. As a nation we are in need of so much healing, healing of the land, healing of our bodies, healing of our hearts.

You say blessed are they who mourn for they shall be comforted. Grant us God your comfort today as we mourn with those who are mourning throughout our land.

You say blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied. Create in us God an insatiable hunger and thirst for Your righteousness that causes us to see one another as you see us and to long for right relationship with You and all creation.

You say blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God. Give us the courage to be those who would make for peace in our land. Give us the fortitude to hold space for the voices of those often unheard.

Give us the strength to stop hurting others because we are hurting. God give us Your wisdom to do what is moral and just and loving and kind in Your eyes. Help us to love as You love.

Holy One, we pray for all those serving in leadership in this country, no matter their post or political persuasion. We lift them up before You and we pray that You would give them wisdom and courage to lead with peace. We pray for unity without uniformity, debate without division, compassion without conflict as they collectively discern what is best for all the people in all of the nation.

Where we have grown callous toward the needs of the vulnerable, we pray You break open our hearts.

Where we have grown numb to injustice around us, we pray You awaken our senses.

Where we have been consumed by our own greed, help us to hear anew Your desire that everyone who hungers be fed, everyone without shelter be housed, those who are sick received health care, and all who are burdened or weary find rest.

Where there is judgment let there be compassion. Where there is strife let there be peace. Where there is hate let there be love. And where there is injustice let righteousness flow.

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Despite what we see, despite what we feel, despite what we hear, our trust is in You and our desire is to do Your will. We thank You for grace. We thank You for mercy. We thank you for the privilege and power of prayer. May we use it all to serve others and to worship You.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Since 1952, the United States has observed National Day of Prayer, a day set aside to pray collectively for our nation. Although conceived as a Christian concept, we know not only Christians pray. The National Setting of the United Church of Christ is honored each year to join in prayer with our conferences, churches, ministry partners, denominational partners, and people of varied faiths.  Please join the National Setting of the United Church of Christ as we pray for our country, for our leaders, and for our neighbors. We invite you to include your own prayers, either by commenting on our posts or by posting your own prayers with the hashtag: #NationalDayOfPrayer