Prayer for the City of Nashville

O God, who is in the midst of the city,
     hear us as we pray for our city,
     The city of Nashville.

You hold us accountable if justice is denied
     even to one of us, including the stranger
     within our gates.

You delight in us
     when faith, hope, and love
     describe the way we live.

Have mercy on us when
     our unfaithfulness breaks our covenants,
     our hopelessness threatens our future, and
     our lovelessness undermines our most precious
     relationships.

Thank you, God, Source of forgiveness,
     who enables us to begin again,
     by God's grace.

We pray for the peace of the city, and for
     the courage to do the deeds that make for peace.

Help us be good neighbors
     to our neighbors.

Give us the purpose
     to follow Jesus,
     who is Building Bridges
     between one and another, and
     between us and God.

Amen. And let all the people say, Amen.

Written by DeLane M. Ryals on October 7, 2006
Read on Sunday, October 31, 2010, in morning worship at First Baptist Church, Nashville, TN