A Good Time for Prayer

This morning is a good time for prayer, especially prayer for incoming President Barack Obama.

A Concord Pastor has done this well:

O God,
upon this man, our new president,
shower your wisdom
that he might govern America
in the light of your truth.

Give him vision to see the future's demands
and a love for the past
upon whose history we stand.

Grant him inner strength to bear the office
to which the nation and the world look
for guidance and leadership.

Give him a love for the law
the keeps us from chaos
and orders our lives for the common good.

Endow him with strength to make difficult decisions
and with courage to be faithful
to judgments made.

Instill in him a respect and reverence for life
in all its shapes and forms,
especially for the most innocent and defenseless.

Give him a heart for the hungry and the homeless,
for victims of disease and war,
for those everywhere in need of a share of others' abundance.

Grant him good counsel on the economy
lest our wealth consume us or be consumed
by our foolishness and greed.

Make him a man of peace and a maker of peace,
at home and abroad,
and in his own heart as he stands before you.

Make him a leader of all Americans
and of Americans on all sides of many issues:
make him a president we can trust.

Let the wisdom of your truth,
the rule of good law
and the promise of liberty and justice for all
guide our new president and the people he serves.

God, we pray that you bless America
and President Barack Obama
who begins this day to lead us.

Amen.

The photo above is credited to Joe Raedle of Getty. It comes via Sully.