"Now thus says the Lord of hosts:
Consider your ways!
You have sown much, but have brought in little;
you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;
You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated;
have clothed youselves, but not been warmed;
And he who earned wages
earned them for a bag with holes in it."
Haggai 1:5-6
(This was the reading at CCC on 11-10-1996 at the 10:30 AM
service.)
Jesus, we are never satisfied.
We try to purchase more and more things every day,
but we will never have our fill.
We see the advertisements and want so many things.
We have to have it all!
But all that we need is you, O Lord.
We can be surrounded by all the things that money can buy
but be all alone and empty.
Jesus, we need you in our lives.
Jesus, fill us with your love and peace.
Fill us with things that money cannot buy!
Give us our daily needs ---
yes, we need a place to stay
and food to eat.
We need people to surround us with love.
Help us, O Lord, to long for you and you alone.
We kneel before you this day and give you our sins.
(The pastor asked us to kneel and pray to the Lord.)
Forgive our sins, O Lord. We have sinned.
We pray for our country, O Lord.
We pray and fast for our leaders.
We ask for direction --- Help us, O Lord!
We ask you to bless the president and all the leaders.
You have called them to serve.
Be with them to help the people and keep peace.
May we all live in peace.
May there be no need for war.
May the fighting end, O Lord.
Help us to forgive and forget, O Lord.
Help us to forgive all that have hurt us in any way.
Jesus, you are our peace.
Help us, O Lord.
We ask this all in the most holy name of Jesus.
Amen.