Prayer in a Season of Storms

The eyes of all look to You, O God, our Rock and our salvation,

and our hearts turn to you in prayer for thousands of souls

  battered by storm and sea as Hurricane Irma passed over,

     leaving devastation in its wake.

 We pray, mourning the loss of life and destruction in the Caribbean,

 watching and waiting with those still in harm’s way

   neighbors in the Islands and in Florida and the US

We give thanks for responders and volunteers who are going the extra mile.

How long, O Lord?

Even as we turn our eyes toward present threat, new storms follow

And storms just past afflict vulnerable neighbors in Texas,

who wade in the water, pile rubble at the curb, and wonder whether they will be forgotten.

Scripture reminds us:  Many waters cannot quench love.

So, let your Spirit of Love expand our hearts and increase our capacity to love and to give.

So, let the words of Jesus, who stilled wind and wave,

   guide and empower us:  do not be afraid.

 In the challenging days to come, work through us to bring

     relief and respite from urgent need

     comfort and the hope of peace for those who grieve the loss of family, home, and safety,

     and faith to walk on through weary days of rebuilding.

May we be steadfast in Love, stronger than death,

    and thus, with those whose lives we seek to sustain,

    together bear witness to Your redeeming Love.

In the name of the Christ, our Way, we pray, Amen

Rev. Dr. Laurie A Kraus