Father God, we pray to you with joy for our fathers were and are wonderful people. They have been steady in our lives, a rock of solid support, and a constant source of love.
And we dislike calling you father,
for our fathers were not there, not loving, or fearful.
Mother God, we pray to you with love for you for you are like our mothers – loving and kind people. Women who kissed our wounds away and fiercely defended us.
And we dislike calling you mother,
for our mothers caused us pain.
Omnipotent, Almighty God, we pray to you with adoration for all that you do. For the wonder of your power, the strength of your abiding presence, the breadth of your forgiveness.
And we ask how an almighty God is not strong enough to end chaos, strife, and sin now.
Omniscient, All Knowing God, we pray with humbleness. You know our rising and our lying down. Our coming and our going. You know how many hairs are on our heads. Nothing is secret from you – and you love us still.
And we ask how an all knowing God couldn’t think of a better world that never let in sin.
Omnibenevolence God, All Loving God, we pray with gratitude for your love that never ends. It surrounds us, carries us, sustains us. We are your beloved and we greatly love you back!
And we ask how an all loving God could invent hell, invent sin, and permit evil.
God – all that you are – beyond what we can understand – and as near as our hearts – we pray today for assurance that you reign, you reign well, you reign with love, you reign in ways we don’t understand but which are good, you reign and somehow it is with Jesus and the Spirit, and somehow it is now and not yet now, and somehow – somehow – you are making all things new and good.
Reassure us in our faith, be gentle with our doubts, grant us relationships that help us name who you are for us, and tell us once again your truths.
This we pray in the name of Jesus, and we pray as he taught us saying: …“Our Father who art in heaven,
Pastor Whitney Bruno Sermons 