God of Grace and God of Glory (Lent 2C)

Prayed in worship at Decatur First UMC
Decatur, Georgia
March 16, 2025

God of grace and God of glory, we are grateful for safe passage through last night’s storms, 
and for the chance to worship you in peace. 

Grant us calm hearts and clear heads, open spirits and open minds,
to hear with wisdom and courage what you say to us today..  

Fears and doubts too long have bound us;
Fears for ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities..  

It is hard to know how to respond to our fears and doubts. 
Are we called to pray for what we think is best?
Are we called to lament? 
Are we called to turn over the tables?

If we react to everything happening around us, we won’t make it.  
Help us to know what is ours to do.  
Grant us serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can, and wisdom to know the difference.  

God of Grace and God of Glory, we lift up to you our own spiritual and physical health. 
Remembering that we must love ourselves in order to truly love others,
grant that we might show ourselves the care and nurture we need to live fully and wholeheartedly.  
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour. 

We also lift up to you our concerns for those we love - 
Those who are sick and suffering.
Those who are living with job insecurity, 
Those who are grieving a loss, 
Those who are weary from caregiving, 
Those struggling with illness or addiction, 
Those waiting for an answer or a diagnosis. 
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour..  

We lift up to you our world.  The words of this morning’s hymn still ringing in our ears -

Cure thy children's warring madness, bend our pride to thy control;
shame our wanton, selfish gladness, rich in things and poor in soul.
Save us from weak resignation, to the evils we deplore;
Let the search for thy salvation, be our glory evermore.

Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour, this day, this week, this year, this life..  

We ask this through the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, as we pray the words he taught us - 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 tresspasses 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. 

Inspired by and significantly borrowed from God of Grace and God of Glory, words by Harry Emerson Fosdick. I know this from the United Methodist Hymnal # 577

1 God of grace and God of glory,
on the people pour thy power;
crown thine ancient church's story,
bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the facing of this hour,
for the facing of this hour.

2 Lo! the hosts of evil round us
scorn thy Christ, assail his ways!
Fears and doubts too long have bound us;
free our hearts to work and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the living of these days,
for the living of these days.

3 Cure thy children's warring madness,
bend our pride to thy control;
shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
lest we miss thy kingdom's goal,
lest we miss thy kingdom's goal.

4 Save us from weak resignation
to the evils we deplore;
let the search for thy salvation
be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
serving thee whom we adore,
serving thee whom we adore.