A prayer in the wake of a hurricane

By Rick Burnette

Loving God, Lord of all Creation, we ask your mercy upon the vulnerable now suffering because of this powerful storm.

We ask your protection for those who remain in harm’s way.

We pray for the displaced; especially those who find themselves without shelter.

We lift up those who have suffered mental and physical pain.

We intercede for those who grieve.

We hurt for those with damaged property and livelihoods.

Oh God, have mercy.

We pray for our public officials as well as the emergency responders as they assist those in peril.

We pray for the doctors, nurses and medics as they save lives and mend broken bodies.

We ask your blessing and protection on the disaster responders and volunteers preparing to engage in recovery efforts.

Lord, have mercy on them all.

We confess that our greed has led to the destruction of Creation and resources that buffer nature’s wrath.

We acknowledge our role in destabilizing the climate due to our fossil fuel addiction.

We ask your forgiveness for our apathy and lack of generosity towards those suffer and for our slowness to respond.

We give you thanks, oh Lord, for resilient people and the rescuers, for shared resources and for those who rebuild.

We thank you, our God, for the opportunity to correct our ways and help each other.

We pray for the courage and wisdom required to decrease our consumption and its harmful impact on this earth.

Guide us, oh God, as we respond to this great need.

Amen.

Rick Burnette serves as director of U.S. Disaster Response for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

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