[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 25062]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 PRAYER

  The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, offered the following 
prayer:
  Lord our God, is it some hidden fear of Your power or just our own 
unfaithful character that causes us to distance ourselves from You? 
Rather than see You as walking every step of the way with us, we choose 
at times to keep You in the heavens. Rather than seek You in our 
everyday undertakings, we put off meeting You to the next life. Why, O 
Lord?
  Scripture reveals Your desire to be our companion and guide, whether 
in Israel or on the road to Damascus. It is Your friendship we need.
  As close friends, we need to listen to each other. Every step of 
life's journey invites us to draw closer together. Unlike our friends 
in this world, Lord, You will never abandon us when we are troubled or 
in need.
  We are truly blessed, Lord, if we can rest in Your friendship and 
place all our trust in You as individuals and as a nation.
  Amen.

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