[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 165 (Thursday, December 20, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S8235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                                 prayer

  The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, offered the following prayer:
  Let us pray.
  O God, whose mercy exceeds our sins, we thank You for the failures 
that drive us again and again to You for forgiveness and restoration. 
May we see in our setbacks opportunities for growth and progress.
  Lord, change our lawmakers not from what they were but toward what 
they really are: generous, wise, and responsible stewards of Your 
bountiful grace. Keep us from becoming a country that wants to feel 
good rather than be good, as You empower us to live worthy of our 
forebears who sacrificed so much for freedom.
  We pray in Your great Name. Amen.

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