A Liturgy from Praying the News
When Inflation Rises
“Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Luke 12:6–7 (CSB)
Great Provider,How long must our community ache and groanunder the extra strain of this invisible tax?How long will these everyday purchases bring such dread?How long until our thoughts and conversationsare no longer consumed by ballooningdollar signs and decimal points?
Lover of the Sparrows, meet our many needs,and use these fears and worriesto turn our hearts toward you.
We confess that as the price of goods risesso do our anxieties—as our paychecks stretch thin,so does our hope.Wrap your righteous right hand around your peopleand meet us with miraculous provision,divine rest, and strength to persevere.Relieve us of this burden, O God!
Protect our hearts from lies that would have us believeour security rests in something other than you.As our minds are tempted to toil and spin,remind us who you are:the God whose abundance broke fishing nets,the God who knows every bird by name,the God who numbers the stars in the sky,the God who counts each hair on my head.
Lover of the Sparrows, meet our many needs,and use these fears and worriesto turn our hearts toward you.
Equip our lawmakers to legislate with wisdom,striking that delicate balancebetween the health of this economy andthe welfare of their people.Use your church to meet needs generouslyand to shine the light of hope intothe fear gripping this community.
Lover of the Sparrows, meet our many needs,and use these fears and worriesto turn our hearts toward you.
O Great God,strengthen us to trust you when our faith is weak,to give cheerfully out of our lackas we would out of abundance,to store up our treasures in heaven andto live simple lives of joy,radiating our secure hope.
We commit these things to you:our lives, our bills, our bank accounts;our paychecks, our investments, our assets;our budgets, our needs, our families;our anxieties, our fears, our tomorrows.We entrust them all to your tender, loving care,knowing you satisfy our every desire,meet our every need,and fulfill your every promise.
We turn now our hearts toward you.
Amen.
Amen
Praying the News
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