When things go south on us, sometimes we wonder how God allows that to happen. Why doesn’t He step in to right wrongs, and bring justice out of injustice? Does He answer our prayers, or doesn’t He? Today, in the company of this faithful community of believers, we shall examine the subject of prayer. We do so looking to the God who both created and sustains us. Therefore let us, with confidence, worship God.
Pastoral Prayer
We turn to Thee in prayer, O loving God, trusting that Thou dost hear us, and that Thou art positively disposed to the yearnings which prompt us to pray. As always we express thanksgiving for Thy countless blessings, and how Thou dost supply us with all that is necessary to sustain life, plus much, much more. We confess our sins before Thee, acknowledging that both intentionally and unintentionally we have failed to do what we know is Thy will for us. We pray for ourselves, asking Thee to equip us better to face whatever trials or inevitable uncertainties shall confront us. We pray for others, especially those whose needs at the moment are greatly heightened because of circumstances over which they have no control at all.
But we also bring before Thee questions and concerns for which we can never seem to find adequate answers. We wonder about why evil seems to triumph for so long among so many people, and how ruthless rulers make life miserable for those who live under their persistent oppression. We observe people who battle serious illness for many years or a whole lifetime with no relief in sight. We know people who are plagued by constant depression, and who encounter few if any periods of respite. Naturally we pray for such men and women, but we also ask why they appear to get so little relief from their suffering, and how Thou art involved in their situations. We are long on perceiving problems, Lord God, and short on seeing solutions. Thus we continue to pray for benefits to come to people whom we cannot help ourselves, imploring Thee to uphold those whom life appears to have treated unfairly. Help us to live with questions which affect us in a minor way on behalf of those who face them in a major, painful, and unending way.
We ask for wisdom to know better how and when and where to intervene to bring about any healing and wholeness we may bring to the world. We pray for courage to do difficult things, especially when it may be our inclination to hold back. Finally we pray for a more faithful and fruitful dedication to making our lives more useful instruments for building up Thy kingdom on Earth. Help us to be more like Jesus, through whom we have come to know Thee, and in whom we seek properly to praise Thee. Now we pray as he taught us, saying, Our Father….