Shepherd of Israel, listen!
You, who lead your people like sheep;
you, who reign over all things from heaven;
you, who make promises to every generation:
Restore us!
Shine your face on us,
so that we can be saved!
Lord God of might,
won’t you listen to your people’s prayer?
We pray with your people
whose tears never seem to quit,
because of chronic illness or chronic injustice.
We pray with your people who are consumed by conflict,
in fear of oppression,
longing for justice.
We pray especially for those
whose needs are closest to us today…
Restore us!
Shine your face on us,
so that we can be saved!
Redeemer of the world,
we pray for the church you have gathered.
You call us out of the world’s ways
and plant us deep in the life of Christ.
We celebrate that the gospel has reached far and wide,
through faithful ministry
and despite human unfaithfulness.
We pray for the church in a time of upheaval and change,
when it seems like our life is uprooted
and our institutions are torn down.
Return to us, God of might!
Plant us again in Christ.
Make us your very own,
through your very own son.
Revive us, reclaim us, reform us,
so we may call on your name rightly
and never turn from your ways.
Restore us, God of might!
Shine your face on us,
so that we can be saved!
Amen.
submitted by Rev. Nathan Williams, Covenant Presbyterian Church, West Des Moines, IA
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