A Prayer for Sunday, September 11, 2011

Dear God,

When words fail to meet our need to express our desires for you we are grateful that you know us even better than we know ourselves.  When we can’t even know what we should be asking from you we are thankful that you have known what we need even before we were born.  We come to this place today to connect with you.  Bless us with the knowledge that you are in this place, that you are with us.  May our worship be pleasing to you.

We come today with an acute mindfulness of this date, ten years past the day our world changed before our eyes.  Even today we try to make sense of what happened and our reactions to that day, both collectively and individually have yet to find an end.  Help our children to understand the significance of what they can’t remember, to know that comfort and safety are gifts to show gratitude for and not to be taken for granted.  As we pray and hope for comfort and safety for our children, we also recognize the value of struggle; as we struggle in this world may we do so together, walking step by step with you.

May you lead us to forgiveness God.  We may never know how much debt we owe to you.  The trials you’ve led us through in this life that we’ve failed to attribute to your hand or the trials to come in eternity that according to your promise you have overcome.  As we pray for our children we offer the same prayer for ourselves.  Your grace has brought us safe thus far, may we understand the significance of what we can’t remember, to know that your sacrifice in the body of Jesus has brought us from a living death into eternal life.  With this measure of forgiveness let us know that nothing is unforgiveable to us, the children of God.

You are a God of beauty, of restoration, of making good out of ugly things.  We reflect today on the ugliness of September 11 and pray that through your spirit we can turn this tragedy into a victory of love over hate, peace over war, sacrifice over selfishness, humanity over evil.  You have given no less to us, from us no less is expected.

We want this God, to walk in the light of forgiveness and mercy, but we know that it can’t be done from our own strength and will.  May we follow your will on this path.

Amen.