6^th August 2017

A Prayer for SEXUALITY AND MARRIAGE

Loving God, although we have often failed in our love

for you and in our relationships with others,

with humble hearts we thank you for your mercy

and love poured out towards us in Jesus Christ.

Lord who created us male and female,

we thank you for the complimentary

rhythms of life and for the purpose of sex.

Help us to regard gender and sexuality

as your sacred gifts so that we don’t

trash our instincts and affections

by being slaves to self desire or

to passions that exploit others.

We thank you that in the mystery

of marriage two become one.

We thank you that you planned the family

 as the foundational unit of society so that

we could live together in loving company.

Lord be especially with those who are single parents

and with those people gifted to remain single.

Where marriages are broken or unhappy, forgive us.

Where there is hope, fan again that first love.

Where there is no hope strengthen and comfort people

with your everlasting love.

We pray for people deeply affected by the

traumas of social disorder, domestic violence,

sexual abuse, alcohol or drugs.

We pray for adolescents exploited by a sexualised society,

for those who struggle to understand themselves

and who battle with their feelings and impulses.

Lord as you were tempted from different directions

empower all of us to face subtle temptations,

to surrender our secret desires to you

and with patience and strength to choose that which is good.

Lord where there is confusion, depression or emotional stress

give wisdom to those with whom we

can share our troubles and bring hope and reason

into hopeless situations, in Jesus name,     

 AMEN

 

A Prayer for our community and those who govern 

Lord God, giver of life and power.

Lord of Lords, who reigns over the nations

and who ordains powers of government for our well being,

We pray for government built on sound policies

rather than expediency or personal slander.

Save us and our leaders from the folly of imagining

that we alone can make our country great or

build a lasting empire when we know

that it is righteousness that exalts a nation.

As we reflect on our national Constitution

open our minds and soften our hearts to understand

the continuing injustices and deep hurts of our aboriginal brothers and sisters.

Amid the assault on Christian values and rise of new ideologies

surrounding human dignity, marriage and gender,

strengthen the church to discern between good and evil.

Help us to choose the narrow path of truth and compassion

rather than relying on public opinion.

We pray for the Uniting Church in Australia,

the National President, the State Moderator, officers of our Presbytery.

We pray for The Assembly of Confessing Congregations

in its role of calling the church to honour Christ.

We pray for the persecuted church and the families of thousands

of Christians who are martyred every year for their faith.

For those who are harassed, tortured or live in daily fear

of repression and the secret police.

We pray for those in our neighbourhood who are lonely,

who are without confidence. Those who want to reach out

but are afraid of possible failure. Help us to reach out to them.

Enable us to rejoice in your faithfulness,

to know that nothing can change or alter your love for us

stamped on all eternity by the cross of our Lord.

Where there is a negative spirit or feelings of despair

we pray that sorrow will be transformed by the faith and joy of your people.

Renew us in the gifts and abilities we have, to worship and serve you

that others may be turned to you and made glad.

In Jesus name

AMEN.

E. A. (Ted) Curnow

tedcurnow.wordpress.com