“Texas National Guard” by The National Guard via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Walks of Life: For responders & respondees (now & later)

Prayer by Kyle Oliver for prayr.cc (CC BY 2.0)
Image credits below.

God of the Great Deep: You have filled your world with beauty and power, formed it wondrous and wild, endowed it with the dignity and freedom of becoming. Usually this is unqualified blessing. Sometimes it means disaster.

We thank you for those professional responders who hear your call in the voices of the frightened and endangered, who lay down their lives to serve and to save. We thank you for volunteers who in the midst of crisis and especially in its aftermath respond in kind: “here I am.”

We ache that for many the journey to wholeness will be long and laborious, and we mourn for too many whose journeys have ended too soon.

O Spirit, O Comforter, O Well of Life: Renew the face of the earth. Be present with your people. Bring rest and restoration.

And when the cameras are gone, and the telethons are played out, and new normals have faded to familiarity:

Abide.

Amen.

Related prayers (BCP, Public Domain)

1. For Joy in God’s Creation

O heavenly Father, you have filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold your gracious hand in all your works; that, rejoicing in your whole creation, we may learn to serve you with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

60. For Protection

Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these our prayers and supplications, and dispose the way of your servants towards the attainment of everlasting salvation; that, among all the changes and chances of this mortal life, they may ever be defended by your gracious and ready help; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Photo credits:

“170815-Z-CH590-012” by Oregon National Guard via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
“U.S. Army National Guard photo” by California National Guard via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
“20120628-F-JQ435-037” by USDA via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
“Helirappellers” by USDA via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
“Whiskey Camp Fire July 2007” by USFWS via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
“U.S. Army National Guard photo” by California National Guard via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
“170829-Z-VT419-006” by USDoD via Flickr (CC0)
“Texas National Guard” by The National Guard via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
“20170907-FSA-SM-0881” by USDA via Flickr (CC0)
“Hurricane Harvey Flooding and Damage” by Jill Carlson via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
“Hurricane Harvey Flooding and Damage” by Jill Carlson via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
“Puerto Rican parrot aviary” by USFWS via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
“Hurricane Irma 2017 09 08 version 2” by Antti Lipponen via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
“Bayfront Park After Hurricane Irma” by Phillip Pessar via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
“Collapsed buildings in earthquake-hit Chautara, Nepal” by DFID via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

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