Holy One, Surprise Us: A Post-Election Pastoral Prayer

Author: kj
November 11, 2024

Holy One, Surprise us.
Surprise us with neighbors who put down their lawn signs and pick up your ethic of love.
Surprise us with the wisdom of voices long silenced by racism, sexism, nationalism, and fear of anyone who is other.
Surprise us by opening our hearts to those who suffer; those for whom the ripple effect of this election is life or death, and not just privilege and taxes.
Holy One, Surprise us.
In your mercy Lord… Hear our prayer.

Holy One, Surprise us.
Surprise us with healing in our nation when the majority is only just so much more than the minority; and yet it feels like a burial.
Surprise us with the laying down of weapons in Ukraine and Gaza.
Surprise us with the healing of rifts of Biblical proportions and long seething hate.
Surprise us by having those in political leadership respond to the privilege instead of the power.
Surprise us with as much emphasis being put on the healing and care for our veterans after they return home, as it is on recruiting and placing them in harm’s way.
Holy One, Surprise us.
In your mercy Lord… Hear our prayer.

Holy One, Surprise us.
Surprise us by giving us renewed strength and wisdom to navigate divisiveness and hostile disagreement.
Surprise us by giving us the stamina and peace that passes all understanding to carry the burden of a future full of uncertainty and change.
Surprise us with the courage we need to embrace change and move forward.
Holy One, Surprise us.
In your mercy Lord… Hear our prayer.

Holy One, Surprise us.
Surprise us with healing and comfort for those who are burdened by illness and challenge....
Holy One, Surprise us.
In your mercy Lord… Hear our prayer.

Holy One, Surprise us.
And surprise them.

Surprise them with the empowerment you give us to love and minister to all who suffer.
Surprise them with your breaking into our lives with your eternal wisdom and your path of righteousness.
Surprise them with your call to us to journey together in common purpose and common mission.
Surprise them as we seek to be the Body of Christ in this your world.

Surprise us and them by helping us to move from an us & them to a we… we the people…

And then surprise us all with the fortitude and strength and willingness to be uncomfortable in this “world as it is” as we work together to move it towards the “world as it should be.”

Surprise us, Holy one…
In your mercy Lord… Hear our prayer.

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