Thanksgiving and confession prayer 4 November 2018 version 1

Bless the Lord for the law

the law which calls on us to love God with all we are

bodies

minds

hearts

souls

there is no part we cannot use for God’s glory

and that is to God’s eternal praise

the work of our hands

knitting hats for revellers on cold nights in our cities

fixing hydrophones to listen to the dolphin’s songs

stirring soup to feed family over lunch

ironing shirts for the other-half’s work

we thank you, our God, we can use these things, even these things we ‘just’ do as part of our love of you, our God

may those who benefit from this work see your love

that care and compassion can be show to those who are cold at night

that those who will hear dolphins will be filled with awe

that spouses can know the love we for them, even in the simple act of doing the ironing

may all we can do with our hands be filled with prayer and praise and thanks to our God

Our God

you gave us minds which tries to fathom the physics of black holes

which can sequence the human genome

which can undertake painstaking research to work towards a cure for Alzheimer’s

though we may not be able to use our mind for these purposes

it is right we give you thanks that human intellect can be used to do these wondrous things

we pray for all who use their minds for the betterment of society and the world

may their work be recognised and rewarded

for they do not labour in vain

and may those who would reject you as God

come to see, as they probe more and more into the glory of the universe

you are there

and may we use our minds to think, to ask, to seek

Seeking God

we thank you that you sought us out

found us when we had nothing, no purpose

and made us your people, showed us we are your God

as we love you with all we are

may we respond by loving our neighbour

that we would obey your law

the law of love

where all can receive the mercy and purpose we have received

may we seek the lost

in love and service to the one who we love with our hearts, minds, souls and strength

Amen