Pastoral Prayer, P+13C

Holy God,
You have searched us and You know us.
You know when we sit and when we rise;
You perceive our thoughts from afar.
We praise You for this tender knowledge
and we pray for Your children who find it hard to believe.
We lift before You those who feel invisible,
who wonder if anyone sees their pain or loneliness.
Surround them with the assurance that You know them completely
and love them still.
We pray for those who doubt their worth,
who wrestle with shame, self-hatred, or despair.
Remind them they are fearfully and wonderfully made,
crafted by Your own hand with care and intention.
We hold in Your light those who feel overwhelmed--
burdened by responsibilities, grief, or uncertainty.
May Your thoughts toward them, more numerous than the sand,
become a source of comfort and strength.
We pray for all who are searching for meaning,
who long for purpose, who ache for peace.
Draw them close, O God,
and let them rest in the wonder of Your presence.
From our first breath to our last,
You hold us in Your care.
Keep us faithful to walk in Your ways,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.