Help with writing prayers

[Eric Frey]

I was asked yesterday to pray the invocation and the benediction at our town's Memorial Day observance. As a part of the community, I want to do this, and have said that I would. My conflict with doing this is that I have strong non-violent tendencies -- more a dove than a hawk -- and that I tend to view hyper-nationalism as borderline idolatry and one of the biggest threats facing the church in the USA. So how do I pray sensitively to the occasion and faithfully to the Kingdom of God?

[Ryan Scott]

Pray for peace and the safe return of every soldier. Pray for an end to the loss of life and the success of diplomacy. Thank God for people willing to sacrifice their lives and pray for more people willing to sacrifice their lives for peace, love, and justice in our own communities.

You don't have to mention the country because ultimately the country is just a symbol to people for the things they really hold dear - peace, love, justice, etc.

[Eric Frey]

Thanks, this is the direction I was planning to head. But I am hesitant, in this brief soundbite prayer to talk of justice. It is too easily misunderstood at vengance. Just as Bin Ladin. I will probably talk about peace, mercy and forgiveness, unless I use justice in the sense of leaving it to God...

[Jon Twitchell]

I wish our parade coordinator would alternate the benediction and invocation... I seem to always be stuck with the benediction.

Last year, I did this:

In John chapter 15, we read what it means to truly love our neighbor. Jesus says:

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

On this Memorial Day, we remember those servicemen and women who have loved that deeply… that they would offer their lives… not only their friends, but strangers in faraway lands as well.

And so, as we go from this place:


May God grant us the grace to live in the freedom we have been granted.
May He bring comfort to those who mourn, even on this day.
May He lead us to walk in paths of righteousness.
May He draw us closer to one another, that we would be faithful to one another, and to serve one another.
And may we be inspired by the same self-sacrificial love that we honor today… that we might love our neighbors as ourselves.

Amen.

[Andy Mistak]

I was asked yesterday to pray the invocation and the benediction at our town's Memorial Day observance. As a part of the community, I want to do this, and have said that I would. My conflict with doing this is that I have strong non-violent tendencies -- more a dove than a hawk -- and that I tend to view hyper-nationalism as borderline idolatry and one of the biggest threats facing the church in the USA. So how do I pray sensitively to the occasion and faithfully to the Kingdom of God?

I think focusing on sacrifice is respectful way to remember the day without moving beyond what is comfortable for those of us with "dovish" tenencies.

[Eric Frey]

Thanks... I like John's benediction and am reworking it for my context. Here is the invocation I will be working with:

Almighty God, our only hope for peace and justice; As we gather here today to honor those who have served and died, we are well aware of those who are serving, at this moment, in harms way. Protect them we pray. May we never cease remembering those who have served, and may we never cease praying for those who are serving, that bringing eternal peace to this earth, our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, might return to us safely and swiftly. Though Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

[Rich Schmidt]

Thanks... I like John's benediction and am reworking it for my context. Here is the invocation I will be working with:

Almighty God, our only hope for peace and justice; As we gather here today to honor those who have served and died, we are well aware of those who are serving, at this moment, in harms way. Protect them we pray. May we never cease remembering those who have served, and may we never cease praying for those who are serving, that bringing eternal peace to this earth, our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, might return to us safely and swiftly. Though Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

I think something got lost in that last bit. It almost makes it sound like our sons & daughters, brothers & sisters are the ones bringing eternal peace to this earth...

[Eric Frey]

I think something got lost in that last bit. It almost makes it sound like our sons & daughters, brothers & sisters are the ones bringing eternal peace to this earth...

You are right!! Thanks for pointing that out... I'll work on it.

[Greg Farra]

This is a good reason why we should encourage written prayers at times, despite the claim from some that it's 'not from the heart'. I don't think the Lord minds one bit if we think and struggle with what and how to pray, especially when we're going to be representing Him in front of a large group of people.

[Eric Frey]

Try this...

Almighty God, our only hope for peace and justice; As we gather here today to honor those who have served and died, we are well aware of those who are serving, at this moment, in harms way. Protect them we pray. May we never cease remembering those who have served, and may we never cease praying for those who are serving. By your grace, may your kingdom come that war may be no more; and bringing eternal peace to this earth, bring also our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, safely and swiftly home to us. Though Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

[Ryan Scott]

I think it's a good prayer. I try always to pray for generic soldiers and ask for all those fighting to return. I've found people aren't usually fans of praying for their enemies, so I try to include them through vagueness.

[Eric Frey]

Hey, this has been fun!

Almighty God, our only hope for peace and justice; As we gather here today to honor those who have served and died, we are well aware of those who are serving, at this moment, in harms way. Protect them we pray. May we never cease remembering those who have served, and may we never cease praying for those who are serving. By your grace, may your kingdom come that war may be no more; and bringing eternal peace to this earth, bring also every son and daughter, brother and sister, safely and swiftly home to the family that loves them. Though Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

[Rich Schmidt]

Much better. The last part makes sense now. And I like your vague, Ryan-inspired inclusion of the enemy at the end. :)

[Bob Hunter]

I wonder how prayers for peace are received among those who embrace a dark apocalyptic end to the world. Do you think it falls on deaf ears? I can almost hear subtle objections raised...but nation will rise against nation, there will be wars and rumors of wars, Armaggedon is coming, etc. Do patriotic flag waving Americans really pray for peace in earnest? Because that could have some pretty radical implications.

[Rich Schmidt]

I wonder how prayers for peace are received among those who embrace a dark apocalyptic end to the world. Do you think it falls on deaf ears? I can almost hear subtle objections raised...but nation will rise against nation, there will be wars and rumors of wars, Armaggedon is coming, etc. Do patriotic flag waving Americans really pray for peace in earnest? Because that could have some pretty radical implications.

I think those folks look forward to the peace God will bring. They just believe he will bring it by waging a bloody war, Armageddon, etc. So they might not believe that WE will ever achieve peace. But they would still pray for peace to come.