Prayers For Our Country

On this blog we will post prayers for our country, and we hope you will join us in saying these prayers and contributing new ones. As we look to the inauguration of a new president who campaigned on the theme of hope and change we offer as our initial prayer on this blog, the following prayer which was given as an invocation at the rally held for Barack Obama in Columbia, Missouri on October 30, 2008. The invocation was written and delivered by Dr. John Yonker of First Christian Church in Columbia Missouri:

“Gracious God of all peoples and nations, who is known by many names and who is worshiped and served in many and various ways, we gather in celebration of the heritage and freedom and democracy which we share as citizens of this great land.

As we prepare to elect those who will serve the nation in public office, we give thanks for all the men and women who take up the challenge and dedicate themselves to such service. Bless them with wisdom and discernment, enlighten their minds with understanding, and fill their hearts with compassion, that their leadership would inspire us to face the challenges of the present day with courage and hope.

Endow us all with determination to continue the struggle as we learn how we can fulfill the promise that this nation, under God, might truly become a land where freedom and justice for all is experienced by all, not only for an elite and select few.

Fill our hearts with love for peace that you alone can give, that we might succeed together in tearing down walls which divide us, and build bridges of trust and respect and understanding and harmony.

Deliver us from the lure of wealth and success gained at the expense of others, especially the poor and marginalized, that we may also dedicate out lives to serving the common good, and hasten the day when peace and justice will rain down like mighty waters, and spread like a life-giving stream from these shores across the whole face of the earth.

Amen.”