Spirit help us to pray

prayers for ourselves and others
Rom 8:26–39



responsive. invite people in the pauses to think and feel in response to the words that are spoken.

We do not know how to pray.
Spirit, help us to pray.


Spirit help us in our frailty,

pause

Speak when words escape us,
sigh our deeper feelings
within the heart of God

pause 

for we do not know how to pray.
Spirit, help us to pray.

We know all things work together for good,
for those who love Holy One, Holy Three,

pause 

our eyes still see wrong and bad,

pause 

our hands divide and harm,

pause 

our hearts tremble with fear, not love,

pause 

and we do not know how to pray.
Spirit, help us to pray.

We know that you are for us, God,
and none can be against us.

pause 

We feel the world against us, God,

pause 

we see difference as threat,

pause 

we do not understand the mystery,

pause 

and we do not know how to pray.
Spirit, help us to pray.

We know nothing can keep us from your love,
not death, not life, not height or depth
or past or present or anything to come:

pause 

what of hardships, though?

pause 

what of distress or persecution?

pause 

or famine, nakedness, oppression, war?

pause 

We want to stay within the love of God,
but we do not know how to pray.
Spirit, help us to pray.