[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 1169]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 prayer

  The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie, offered the following prayer:
  Blessed God, our Father, You have shown us that there is great 
spiritual power in praise. When we praise You, our minds and hearts are 
opened to Your Spirit, burdens are lifted, problems are resolved, and 
strength is released. So we join our voices with the Psalmist: ``I will 
tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I 
will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.''--Psalm 9:1-2.
  We confess that often it is difficult to praise You in troublesome 
times and with frustrating people. And yet it is when we deliberately 
praise You for them that we receive fresh inspiration. Help us remember 
what You have taught us: Praising You for the most challenging 
situations and contentious people transforms us and our attitudes as 
well as them.
  Give us greater confidence in Your inner working in people and Your 
unseen, but powerful, presence in every situation. Again we join the 
Psalmist, ``Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, our lips 
shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live.''--Psalm 63:3-4a. 
This is a day to praise You, O Lord! Amen.

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