To not believe in the power of prayer is to say, in essence, that God is a liar.
Let us pray:
Almighty God—and when we say almighty,
that’s exactly what we mean, all-mighty.
Almighty God, we stand at your door and knock,
not just because you are almighty, but because you are Father.
Your own Word to us says,
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so do you show compassion to us. (Psalm 103)
Compassion.
We stand, we knock, we trust, with open hands,
and with an honest anticipation like toddlers reaching up
to the only one they know truly knows them.
Lord, in your mercy. All: Hear our prayer.
We don’t pretend to be perfect. We’re not. But you are.
We come to you appealing to your goodness, not ours.
Our sins are higher than our heads.
But nothing his higher than your mercy—
the free charity of a God, a Father,
whose heart pulsates with grace toward his own.
Lord, in your mercy. All: Hear our prayer.
This is a sanctuary. It’s where we worship, learn, and pray.
A sanctuary because it is holy (a sanctum), this space, this place.
A sanctuary because, for a bit of time, we are away from the outside world;
and yes, we will return, we will be sent out renewed as disciples.
But here we are, we pray, asking you to change certain things.
Lord, in your mercy. All: Hear our prayer.
What do we want to change?
To the person who feels like hope is slipping through their fingers.
To the person whose mind keeps racing, even in directions that make no sense to them.
To the person who can’t sleep and for whom nighttime is a time of invisible battle.
To the person about to make a big change, a leap of faith,
and the leap seems bigger and higher than they thought.
Do a miracle. Today.
Do a miracle. Today.
Do a miracle. Today.
Lord, in your mercy. All: Hear our prayer.
What else do we ask of you?
And yes, we will ask because Jesus said
that in you all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)
To the person who needs a job, or a different job,
so that day by day they are better aligned
with your kingdom work in the rhythms of their life.
To the person who has been pushed aside—
and not only are they lonely, but in their heart they feel injured.
To the person who is surrounded by people who say they love them,
but still feel misunderstood. And the days are taking their toll.
Reach your hand into these vexations and do something profound.
Reach your hand into these vexations and do something profound.
Lord, in your mercy. All: Hear our prayer.
We continue to ask because we are limited, but you are not.
To the person who is sick, and they don’t know what is going on, or why.
And sometimes that question is just as big—Why!
To the person who is confused about who they are,
can you just look them in the face,
and tell them that they are wonderful and beautiful
just as you made them to be?
To the person whose faith is about as flimsy as a paper plane right now:
breathe into the lungs of their soul the confidence and clarity of a warrior
who can smile even in the face of battle.
To the person who came to you with a question today.
You know who they are. They came with a question. Speak to them.
Speak an answer to them—
that the answer is what Jesus has been saying all along.
Lord, in your mercy; All: Hear our prayer.
To those who fear. They fear a great fear.
Worry is always at the door. But change it’s direction—
that worry be going, not coming.
When the world, and the wars and rumours of wars,
and deceptions and hair-pulling frustrations, want to beat us over the head,
remind those people, and of course all of us, that you are bigger.
Your throne does not tremble.
Your voice does not quiver.
Your knees do not shake.
You are all-mighty,
and you enfold all of us under the shelter of your victorious wing.
May this be our peace,
and may the unyielding love of Christ be our purpose.
Lord, in your mercy; All: Hear our prayer.
These things we pray in the beautiful name of Jesus, Amen.
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