Prayer for President Obama
(by Arthur Roberts, Quaker writer and poet)
Lord God, we pray for President Barack Obama.
We praise you for the gifts you have nurtured in him:
to think clearly, to speak eloquently, to interact effectively.
Guide him, God, to use these skills both wisely and well
as he leads our nation and serves our world.
Thank you for his bright summons to audacious hope.
May we citizens bracket that vision with faith and love,
so that civility and justice mark our nation’s journey
into an unknown and somewhat scary future.
May the glare of publicity never blind him to truth.
May political power never dull empathy with ordinary people.
May pride of position never corrode his conscience.
Warn him, Lord, when evils, disguised as good,
tempt him to stray from what is right and true.
Teach him to backtrack from wrong turns amiably,
but to follow right roads tenaciously.
Strengthen his commitment to servant leadership.
May neither acclaim nor criticism tarnish his congeniality.
Show him patterns of patience that tarry but do not dawdle.
When he is tired and stressed, refresh him, Lord,
in his body, in his mind, in his spirit.
When alone he wrestles over difficult ethical and policy issues
may this follower of Jesus heed his Master’s guiding voice.
Oh, and Lord, in busy times remind President Obama
of his heart-felt pledge and studied practice:
to be an attentive and loving husband and father.
Amen!
-Arthur O. Roberts February, 2009
(by Arthur Roberts, Quaker writer and poet)
Lord God, we pray for President Barack Obama.
We praise you for the gifts you have nurtured in him:
to think clearly, to speak eloquently, to interact effectively.
Guide him, God, to use these skills both wisely and well
as he leads our nation and serves our world.
Thank you for his bright summons to audacious hope.
May we citizens bracket that vision with faith and love,
so that civility and justice mark our nation’s journey
into an unknown and somewhat scary future.
May the glare of publicity never blind him to truth.
May political power never dull empathy with ordinary people.
May pride of position never corrode his conscience.
Warn him, Lord, when evils, disguised as good,
tempt him to stray from what is right and true.
Teach him to backtrack from wrong turns amiably,
but to follow right roads tenaciously.
Strengthen his commitment to servant leadership.
May neither acclaim nor criticism tarnish his congeniality.
Show him patterns of patience that tarry but do not dawdle.
When he is tired and stressed, refresh him, Lord,
in his body, in his mind, in his spirit.
When alone he wrestles over difficult ethical and policy issues
may this follower of Jesus heed his Master’s guiding voice.
Oh, and Lord, in busy times remind President Obama
of his heart-felt pledge and studied practice:
to be an attentive and loving husband and father.
Amen!
-Arthur O. Roberts February, 2009
Thanks for sharing that lovely prayer by Arthur Roberts. Barack Obama will need our prayers.
ReplyDeleteAmen.
ReplyDelete