[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 4920]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 prayer

  Dr. Gordon Reed offered the following prayer:
  May we pray?
  Almighty God, God of fathers before us, it is by Your grace and 
gracious hand that we have been given this land of freedom and plenty. 
And we humbly pray that we may prove ourselves to be a people who 
acknowledge You and Your goodness, and who are eager to do justly, love 
mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. Bless this dear land we love 
with honorable and upright leaders in government, industry, education, 
and public life.
  Save us from all of our enemies and foes who would conquer and 
destroy us. Save us from internal strife, discord, and confusion, from 
pride and arrogance, and from moral disintegration. Teach us to love 
and respect each other, who come from such diverse backgrounds, that we 
may truly be one Nation under God.
  We especially pray for these to whom we have entrusted the authority 
and power of government. Grant them wisdom, courage, and the humility 
to confess that all authority comes from above. May their deliberations 
and decisions be guided by Your almighty hand and tempered with charity 
toward one another. May they ever be mindful that ``sin is a reproach 
to any people, but righteousness exalts a nation.''
  In our times of prosperity, fill us with gratitude. In our times of 
want and trouble, fill us with trust. And when we must endure Your 
chastening hand because of our waywardness, give to us a spirit of true 
repentance and humility. Grant us peace within and enable us to be 
peacemakers among the nations of this world. We ask this in the name of 
and by the authority of the Prince of Peace. Amen

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