Nov. 2017 Creation Corner Column (CCC)
Thankful Prayerful Responses for Creation's Blessings
Including
prayers in church liturgy is one of many ways to express our care for
creation, as we are instructed to by the "First Commandment" in Genesis
2:15, to "serve and protect" the creation. Consider these:
Creator
God, you provide daily for our nourishment. Bless fields and orchards,
oceans and lakes, birds and animals, insects and fish. Sustain those
who harvest your life-sustaining bounty. Help us share the gifts you
have freely given. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Reveal
your will for your creation, mighty God. Renew waters, lands, and
skies that are threatened by our carelessness. Teach us to honor and
care for the works of your hand. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We
pray for the renewal of creation: for a shared, plentiful harvest, for
lands unable to bear fruit, for what is neglected or destroyed by our
hand, and for the earth's advocates. Lord, in your mercy, hear our
prayer.
You
rejoice in your good creation. Provide moisture for parched places,
wind and sun for flooded lands, and shelter and sustenance for creatures
of every kind. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Restore
what is broken in creation, gracious God. Revive farmlands and
vineyards, protect waters needed by all living things, and move us to
care for this earthly home. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
Give
bountiful pastures, safety and health to herds, livestock, and all
animals. May our care for all of your creation reflect the shepherding
love for all that you have made. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We
pray for parks and open spaces, for clean air and clear water. Help us
protect places where we are reminded of God's work in creation and find
renewal. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Note:
The above Prayers of Intercession are derived from recent 2017
"Celebrate" bulletin inserts and are reproduced by permission of
Augsburg Fortress. No future reproduction is allowed without written
permission.
