A Concord Pastor Comments: NIGHT PRAYER: Wednesday 5/4

Deliver us, Lord, from every evil,

graciously grant peace in our days,

that, by the help of your mercy,

we may be always free from sin

and safe from all distress...

We pray these words
every time we gather at your table, Lord,
when we ask for:
   - deliverance from every evil
   - peace today
   - freedom from all sin
   - and a life safe from all distress

We ask for a lot, Lord!

And as this day ends,

I'm thinking we should, pray these words

- every night!

Those four petitions sum up so well

so much of what we need from you,

so much of what we long for:

the deliverance, peace, freedom and safety

that only you can offer, only you can give...

So, tonight, Lord, I pray that you deliver us from evil:
   - the evil of racism, poverty and war,
      of consumerism, greed and selfishness,
      of assaults on the dignity of human life
           Deliver us, Lord, from every evil...

Tonight I pray for peace in our own times, Lord,

- peace in our world, in our nation,

in our communities, streets and neighborhoods

- peace in Ukraine

- peace in our families - sooner than later

- peace in our minds, in our hearts, in our souls,

peace with you, Lord, and peace with our selves

Graciously grant us peace, Lord, in our own day...

Tonight I pray that you keep us free from sin, Lord:

- free of temptation and its wily ways

- free of sin that's become a habit

- free of the sins of omission and silence

- free of the sins we find hardest to admit

- freedom from anything and everything

that separates us from you and our neighbor

Keep us free from sin, Lord...

And tonight, Lord, I pray that you keep us safe from all distress:
   - the distress of worry, doubt and fear
          of disease, illness and pain
          of tyranny, terrorism and war
          of anxiety, depression and grief
          of hunger, homelessness and want
      the distress of discouragement, loneliness and despair
           Keep us safe from all distress, Lord...

I know, Lord - that's asking a lot!
But this is what we need - and you are all we have:
   you are our best, our only hope...

With humble hearts we pray for such great gifts,

we pray for the grace that's yours to give:

- the grace to turn away from evil

whenever, wherever we encounter it;

- the grace to work for peace now,

peace in the world, in our nation,

in our cities and in our homes

- the grace to turn away from sin

and walk the path of your wisdom, word and truth

- the grace to turn to you when we're in distress

and offer refuge to all who come to us in need...

Deliver us, Lord, from every evil,

graciously grant peace in our days,

that, by the help of your mercy,

we may be always free from sin

and safe from all distress...

And in that same spirit, Lord, we pray:
   protect us while we're still awake
   and watch over us as we sleep
   that awake, we might watch with you
   and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

Psalm 16 - The Path of Life by Scott Soper

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