Pastoral Prayer 12/4
God of peace, on this second Sunday of Advent we continue to prepare ourselves for your coming. This is a season of cold and darkness. In the midst of the chilly, bleak season we look to you for light and hope. Teach us to turn our hearts towards you and away from the superficial things that draw our attention away. Prepare us to receive your love anew and rekindle our passion for faith this Christmas time. We are swept up in the tasks of presents to be bought, cookies to be baked, cards to be sent, parties to attend, work that needs to be completed by year’s end. Sometimes it is too much. For us to truly feel the peace you offer us we must stop. We must rest. We must see that you are what matters most, and all the rest is not worth our anxiety. Help us to release our anxiety. Help us to embrace love and be so filled by it that we cannot help but reach out to those who are hurting. We offer you the prayers of our hearts for all those who face challenges, pain and loss and who need your healing comfort more than ever. Let every person, every creature, find joy this season. We pray this in Jesus’ name.