The following comes from my pastoral prayer yesterday, as we finished our sermon series on work and vocation.
Almighty God, who blesses us with all the gifts and resources necessary to do good work in this world: Enable us leave this place with the strength, the resolve, the wisdom, and the guidance necessary to do good work for you this week. Remind us that we’re serving you not only when we go to far-flung places like Honduras or Paraguay or Kenya, and nearer faraway places like Birmingham or the Gulf Coast, and places of mission in our local community, but that we serve you all the time. We serve you in a deeply meaningful way through the good work that we do in our jobs and in our homes. Make us faithful in that task. Remind us again and again that we have a reward from you that is so much more satisfying than paychecks or recognition or public acclaim. Help us live so as to win that reward and hear your Son say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” It is in his name that we pray. Amen.