Mercer Island Pastor Offers Opening Prayer Before State House

The Rev. Greg Asimakoupoulos  of Mercer Island offered the opening prayer before the Washington State House of Representatives Wednesday in Olympia. The opportunity came as the result of an invitation of Rep. Judy Clibborn of Mercer Island.

The text of Rev. Asimakoupoulos' prayer follows:

A Prayer for the Washington State House of Representatives

God of Abraham,
God of Jesus,
in this week when our Jewish sisters and brothers 
are commemorating freedom from Pharaoh
and the provision of a path through the sea 
(where there was none),
and our Christian brothers and sisters 
are celebrating redemption from captivity to sin
and an unexpected revelation that 
you can’t keep a good man down,
we seek Your guidance.

In both the Old Testament and New Testament
when death appeared to have the last word,
You spoke.
And Your words became flesh and dwelt among us
providing a way where there was no way.
Do it again, God. Do it again!
Won’t You continue to speak words of hope and reason through the lips of these lawmakers
who themselves too often feel enslaved 
by unrealistic expectations,
trapped by tasks that fail to result in longed-for answers,
and buried by life-sucking deadlines?

In this week of looking back,
help these representatives look forward
in anticipation of finding creative solutions 
to problems that plague our state.
Give them the desire to pass-over partisan politics 
in order to find meaningful communion 
around a table of compromise.
Thank You for daily reminders 
of our undeserved blessings.
May this Wednesday 
(before Good Friday) prove to be a great day!

In the name of the Triune God I pray, amen.