Grace and Peace on this Saturday morning! How good it is to be together in that blessing of God.
It’s been a difficult week. Even as our country has been going through tumult and trouble, we’ve felt it our hearts and spirits. In our distress we’ve turned to seek a Word from the Lord.
Our guiding Scripture has been Isaiah 58:6-12. In those prophetic words we’ve been challenged to justice and also called into hope by God’s grace.
And today we ready ourselves for worship. On Saturday we pray. We ask God to open our minds, soften our hearts, and heighten our sensitivity to God’s will and our neighbors’ cries. We pray that through God’s Spirit we would grow in grace as Christ’s faithful followers. We trust that even in these difficult days God is not only with us, but also leading us forward. “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done” during this season of unrest in our nation.
As we come into prayer part of what I ask God for is protection and peace. I pray for God’s protection and peace for the families immediately involved and affected (both the Floyd family and also the officers and their families), for the peaceful protesters, the police, the business owners and employees, the neighborhoods and everyday citizens impacted, our leaders, even the rioters and looters. I’m sure I’ve left someone out that you can think of, but the point is, there’s lots of folks to “say grace over”.
I pray for justice for all. Part of this involves fair and due process in all the proceedings forthcoming. Part of justice is a “larger picture”. The protests witness to deeper realities of racism that need to be addressed. I pray God give us the courage to continue in that conversation and in making positive change.
I pray for our leaders. On every level this situation is incredibly challenging. To be able to: resolve the immediate crisis; restore peace; and then lead us into the “growth potential” of this crisis, where we can listen, learn, and become more united and a better country – that is a daunting task and test. As the hymn goes, “God grant them wisdom, grant them courage, for the facing of this hour.”
I pray for our church. I ask that as we move through this time together we may also grow in God’s will and ways. To be the Church is to know there is a witness to be lived out, even in these difficult times. And also to know that God provides the Holy Spirit to be our strength to do it.
And I pray for myself. I ask that God would be at work in my heart continually creating, always shaping me to follow Christ more fully and faithfully. Tough times can be times where God works most profoundly.
As I said above, there’s lots to “say grace over”. What are your prayers today? How would you be asking God to work? How would you be getting ready for tomorrow and for worship?
Enjoy your Saturday. And I pray that you’ll be blessed by your time with the Lord in prayer!
See you tomorrow in worship!
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for the privilege of prayer. Thank You for how You invite us to come to You in times of trouble and caste all our cares on You. Thank You for how you hear our prayers in your mercy and answer our prayers in Your love. Thank You for how You would grow us in Your grace, even in the most difficult of days. Thank You that you are always at work so that our lives might witness to Your glory. This we pray in the name of the One who is our Peace, even Jesus Christ, our Crucified and Risen Lord. Amen