Inaugural Prayers

Our new president gave an inspiring speech on Tuesday, but my favorite "speeches" were the prayers given by Rick Warren for the invocation and Joseph Lowery for the benediction. The Bible tells us to pray for our leaders, whether or not we agree with all of their policies. Here are two pastors whose prayers were heard around the world.

Rick Warren's invocation:



Almighty God -- our Father. Everything we see, and everything we can’t see, exists because of you alone. It all comes from you. It all belongs to you. It all exists for your glory. History is your story. The Scripture tells us, ‘Hear, Oh Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.’ And you are the compassionate and merciful one. And you are loving to everyone you have made.

Now today we rejoice not only in America’s peaceful transfer of power for the 44th time, we celebrate a hinge-point of history with the inauguration of our first African-American president of the United States. We are so grateful to live in this land, a land of unequaled possibility, where the son of an African immigrant can rise to the highest level of our leadership. And we know today that Dr. King, and a great cloud of witnesses, are shouting in heaven.

Give to our new president, Barack Obama, the wisdom to lead us with humility, the courage to lead us with integrity, the compassion to lead us with generosity. Bless and protect him, his family, Vice-President Biden, the cabinet, and every one of our freely elected leaders.

Help us, oh God, to remember that we are Americans, united not by race, or religion, or blood, but to our commitment to freedom, and justice for all.

When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you, forgive us. When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone, forgive us. When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve, forgive us.

And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches, and civility in our attitudes -- even when we differ.

Help us to share, to serve, and to seek the common good of all. May all people of good will today join together to work for a more just, a more healthy, and a more prosperous nation, and a peaceful planet. And may we never forget that one day, all nations and all people will stand accountable before you.

We now commit our new president, and his wife Michelle, and his daughters, Malia and Sasha, into your loving care.

I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life -- Yeshua, Isa, Jesús, Jesus -- who taught us to pray:

Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.

Amen.

Joseph Lowery's benediction:

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, thou who has brought us thus far along the way, thou who has by thy might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path, we pray, lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met thee, lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee. Shadowed beneath thy hand may we forever stand -- true to thee, O God, and true to our native land.

We truly give thanks for the glorious experience we've shared this day. We pray now, O Lord, for your blessing upon thy servant, Barack Obama, the 44th president of these United States, his family and his administration. He has come to this high office at a low moment in the national and, indeed, the global fiscal climate. But because we know you got the whole world in your hand, we pray for not only our nation, but for the community of nations. Our faith does not shrink, though pressed by the flood of mortal ills.

For we know that, Lord, you're able and you're willing to work through faithful leadership to restore stability, mend our brokenness, heal our wounds and deliver us from the exploitation of the poor or the least of these and from favoritism toward the rich, the elite of these.

We thank you for the empowering of thy servant, our 44th president, to inspire our nation to believe that, yes, we can work together to achieve a more perfect union. And while we have sown the seeds of greed -- the wind of greed and corruption, and even as we reap the whirlwind of social and economic disruption, we seek forgiveness and we come in a spirit of unity and solidarity to commit our support to our president by our willingness to make sacrifices, to respect your creation, to turn to each other and not on each other.

And now, Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance.

And as we leave this mountaintop, help us to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family. Let us take that power back to our homes, our workplaces, our churches, our temples, our mosques, or wherever we seek your will.

Bless President Barack, First Lady Michelle. Look over our little, angelic Sasha and Malia.

We go now to walk together, children, pledging that we won't get weary in the difficult days ahead. We know you will not leave us alone, with your hands of power and your heart of love.

Help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own vine and fig tree, and none shall be afraid; when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around -- (laughter) -- when yellow will be mellow -- (laughter) -- when the red man can get ahead, man -- (laughter) -- and when white will embrace what is right.

Let all those who do justice and love mercy say amen.

AUDIENCE: Amen!

REV. LOWERY: Say amen --

AUDIENCE: Amen!

REV. LOWERY: -- and amen.

AUDIENCE: Amen! (Cheers, applause.)

END.

Happy New Year!

Turning the calendar to a new year provokes some reflective thought. When I woke up this morning I thought of how fortunate I am to have my family and friends to share life's ups and downs with. I hope you feel the same.

Today we welcome the New Year as if we are welcoming a stranger who has been knocking on our door. We hope the stranger is bringing us good news or offering something of value to us, but the stranger could also be a bearer of sadness or someone searching for a safe place. I hope and pray 2009 will be all good, but I know that it will also include those who bear sadness and seek safety.

Jesus said, "I was a stranger and you invited me in." (Mt. 25:35)

2009, come on in, I welcome you.

Advent Calendar

I found this online Advent Calendar at Christianity Today. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I am.

The sport of politics and the nobility of public service.

The two heavy-weight contenders boxed it out 'til the bitter end. Round by round the punches flew. Along the way their respective "corners" repaired the damage and patched their boxer so he could keep fighting on. When the final bell rang the exhausted and bloody fighters came out of their corners one last time for the victor to be declared. And then... what did they do? They hugged! They claimed to be friends! They promised to work together for the good of others. How strange is that?

Politics is sport. Campaigns are a game. The politicians know that. Unfortunately, many others are not as quick to forgive and forget as are the players in the game, especially since the flames of division continue to be fueled by those who profit from controversy and debate.

This week I had the opportunity to attend a forum in Washington D.C. with government and faith-based leaders to discuss ways to collaborate for the common good of the poor and suffering. I've come away with a new appreciation for the many brilliant people of faith in both parties and throughout government agencies who are working together behind the scenes to address real human needs. Politics is sport, but true public service is a noble endeavor. I pray for people to raise above the fray and find ways to work together to preserve life, care for the suffering, reduce poverty, prevent injustice and strengthen families.

The game is over, now it is time to come together. The challenges before us will demand that we put our faith into action by sacrificing for the sake of others. Government can't do it alone, the church can't do it alone, private enterprise can't do it alone, and all three can't do it together without God's help. It truly is time to humble ourselves and pray, and turn from our destructive selfish ways, and seek the heart of God for others.

Election Thoughts

I have been trying to think of a way to respond to people's questions about the election and then I saw this blog post by my friend and colleague Jeff Leake, pastor of Allison Park Church. I can't say it any better, so I here is how I wish I had said it first...

As Election Day approaches, I am being asked this question from a growing number of people. What do you think? McCain? Obama? Who should a Christian vote for? Now, I know in just listing this question on the blog, there is the potential for a flurry of comments for or against candidates and issues. Can I ask for you to guard your words in leaving comments? Please don't use the comment section as a plea for one or another of the candidates.

First, my hope for the future of the USA does not rest in this election. I believe in voting. I also believe that good leadership is critical to any nation, church, family, or business. But I believe that God is big enough to work in and through whatever happens on Nov 4th and beyond.

Second, my primary concern is with the Kingdom of God and not with the United States of America...

Read the rest of his blog post by clicking here.

Reason for Hope

Are bad times good for us? Apparently so. That's what author Andy Crouch writes about in a recent article in Christianity Today. It's a long article, but if you have the time I recommend it to you.

Thanks, Don, for pointing me to this.

Silver Linings

It's been a while since I've made a blog entry, but with all the scary rhetoric about the economy and the election I feel the need to think out loud. I don't pretend to have the answers to the economic crises nor do I think that either of the presidential candidates are the magic solution to these or other major problems facing our nation. But I'm the kind of person who likes to see the silver lining within these clouds of despair.

Regarding the economy I share the anger and fear that everyone is feeling. But the silver lining is that we are collectively learning some hard lessons about the dangers of unchecked greed, unmanageable debt, and the vanity of money as our source of security. Check out what the Pope said about this. Could it be that our generation will learn the hard way what our parents and grandparents generations learned the hard way in the 1930's? Will there be a spiritual awakening as a result of all this material shaking? I hope there will be.

Regarding the election I find it more difficult to see the silver lining. The politics of fear and hate coming from both parties, the spin-meisters, and the crazy internet character assassins creates an uneasy atmosphere among friends, families, co-workers, and even fellow believers. I am a peacemaker at heart and it grieves me to see the damage this is all causing. Politics is a blood-sport and I am ready for this election to be over. I don't know why anyone would want to go through this process in order to be elected. But one silver lining is that many Christians are becoming more focused on the reality of an eternal kingdom that is not limited by national boundaries and dependent on any one political party or candidate. Here is an interesting opinion article that a friend sent me about the ways many evangelicals are returning to the "good news" roots of evangelicalism.

More and more I am falling in love with and looking to Jesus as the source for my hope, my security and my inspiration on how to live a meaningful life.

What other silver linings might there be in the clouds of despair out there? I'd really like to hear your thoughts. I'm sure if we look we can find many more.