[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 53 (Thursday, March 23, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H1334]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 PRAYER

  The Chaplain, the Reverend Margaret Grun Kibben, offered the 
following prayer:
  Holy God, we need Your presence with us this day. As a deer longs for 
streams of water, so our souls long for You. Our very beings thirst for 
You, the living God.
  Be with those who intentionally fast in this season of Lent and 
Ramadan. Even as they wash their hands, purify their hearts, and draw 
near to You, draw near to them. Call us each to come closer to You and 
fast from all that tempts and distracts us from a right relationship 
with You.
  Deliver us from our dependence on our physical strength and uphold us 
with the power You alone bestow on us. Save us from our inclination to 
fill our minds with disparaging thoughts and our mouths with sarcasm 
and gossip. Release us from anything that deters us from the good and 
righteous life You call us to lead.
  Then may we in our deprivation be privileged to receive Your 
revelation of truth. May we, in our weakness, learn to draw our 
strength from You.
  Break into our lives this season and remind us once again that who we 
are, what we enjoy, and all that we receive are grace gifts from You. 
We humble ourselves before You in the hope that You will restore us to 
the fullness which is found only in You.
  In Your most holy name we pray.
  Amen.

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