Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Anghaarad Teague-Dees' prayer for the Gulf

This is the prayer a group of ministers prayed at Pensacola Beach this week. I encourage you to pray it when you can.


O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is the great and wide sea with its living things too many to number creatures both small and great. As we hear the waves crash against the shore we are reminded of the mighty works of your hand and we humbly ask that you step in with works of restoration.

The fragile balance of the Gulf waters is tainted and yearns for healing. We come to you today with heavy and humbled hearts asking for healing, comfort, strength and wisdom as we face this unfolding tragedy.

We confess that we demand more energy for our homes, autos, farms, and industries
We demand more plastic things that begin from oil; things big and small; things expensive, things ordinary, things cheap. Our demand for more has degraded and destroyed the earth’s bounty. We have taken for granted the beauty and grandeur of this amazing creation. Like Adam and Eve, in our desire to taste the good life, we overstep the boundaries you have placed on your creation. We are sorry.

We seek mercy, we seek vision and we seek the courage we will need as we work to help the victims of the sins of human greed.

We pray for workers injured, missing & presumed dead from the explosion on the rig and for their families and friends.

We pray for the engineers, laborers and individuals working tirelessly to contain the spill & protect the fragile ecosystems and communities from its toxic impacts.

We pray for all who grieve and mourn for this situation. For our children who worry about the impact it will have on their futures. Give us the words of comfort and hope that they seek.

We pray for all of those who live off the sea, the fishermen and women, those who live off tourism, vacationers, and those of us who do not know how to live without the sea. Be with those whose jobs are affected in an already tough economy, May they receive your provision.

What a shame that your creatures should suffer! We pray for the smallest sea creature to the birds of the air. For dolphins and pelicans, grouper and shrimp, algae and scallops…Lord, please protect and heal them. What a shame that your creation should be damaged!

This is wrong, Lord. This will be wrong for a long time to come. Strengthen us to bravely face the days ahead.

We turn to you the Creator whose restoring power is stronger than any human folly.

Eternal God, who brought order out of chaos accept the prayers of your people. Guide and strengthen us by your spirit that we may give ourselves in love & service to one another and to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.