Sep. 28, 2014

We take up our weapon in this war: we pray.

God of the Heavenly Armies,
We stand in front of our enemy, and it seems too big. We get surrounded, and there seems to be no hope.
Until we look up. Up past any star wars that man wages. Up to the highest heavens. Up to You.
What an awesome thing it would be to hear Your army rushing past in the top of the trees. Or to look out past the enemy's camp and see Your army rushing in on the clouds. What an awesome thing it is to spend the night afraid for our lives, only to walk out in the morning and find the enemy dead. Scattered. Gone.
Lord, open our eyes to see.

To see You: the ever-powerful One. You never get tired. You never get out-witted. You have no vulnerabilities. You don't trip. You don't make a mistake. You don't make wrong decisions. You don't arrive too late, without the weapons.

And You are the giver of all strength. All wisdom. All mercy.

For our generals who are standing in front of maps that are growing increasingly black and spotted with red, we pray. Lord give them wisdom. Morality. Fortitude.

For the private, dodging bullets far from home. Lord give him/her skill in their duties. Please be the shield around them.

And for all our soldiers in the middle, Lord we pray. May their trials bring them closer to You. May they be in the right. May You be their might. Help them to protect Your children. Courage, Lord. They need Your courage.

And Lord guard their hearts. Only You can help them deal with the things they have to do. Only You can heal this broken world. Please protect them from the spirit of depression and suicide.

"Hear me, Lord, my plea is just;
listen to my cry.
Hear my prayer-- it does not rise from deceitful lips.
Let my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right...

My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled.
I call on You, my God, for You will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
Show me the wonders of your great love, You who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in You from their foes.
Keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.

They close up their callous hearts, and their mouth speak with arrogance. They have tracked me down, they now surround me, with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground. They are like a lion hungry for prey, like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down; with your sword rescue me from the wicked. By your hand save me from such people, Lord, from those of this world whose reward is in this life....

As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness." --from Psalm 17

Lord our soldiers need You more than ever. Our nation needs You. Your church needs Your protection.

Thank You for all the safe travel of thousands of troops, and we pray for continued as more come home this week.

Please show our leaders the way to go.

Our only hope is in You. Thank You that You hear our prayers. Thank You that the battle is won. We wait for You.
Amen!

Sept. 21, 2014

...It is better to groan 
With my old, old load
Than to search within,
And find nothing there
But folly and sin....
--from "The Empty Cup" by Thomas Edward Brown

Oh Father God,
No suffering. No pain. You created us that way, and that is what we long for, and that is what we wait for in eternity.
But for now, we suffer. And we look to You. We ask for healing. But if not the healing, Lord make us better through the refinement, make us stronger with the pain.

Help us Lord, to pray with Paul:
"Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance."

God we pray for deliverance. For the little girl struggling to breathe. For the mother with an unknown malady causing her dizziness. For those recovering from surgery. For our soldiers who beat their bodies into all kinds of aches. For our parents who deal with the effects of age. We know You can heal all. You know the causes, and the remedies.

You've given us a small glimpse into the knowledge of medicine. Thank You for our doctors and researchers and medicines.  Thank You for the many remedies You give us through our world around us. We pray for continued progress, and may the people see You in all the discoveries.

Thank You for people to pray. Thank You for people who help. May we be available to those in need. Thank You for deepened relationships through walking this road together. And Thank You most of all for Your Spirit that carries us through. You are the source of all courage, strength, endurance.

"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death."

Lord when we are hurting, it is so hard to be good. But with You we can. We can reach out to the nurses and ask about their day. We can be patient with our child's new boo-boo. We can encourage our spouses. Help us Lord. Live through us as we die with Christ.

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me..."

Lord whatever Your answer to our prayers, we trust in You. We live for You and give You full rein over our days. We have nowhere else to go, You are the giver of life. You are the one who breathes the stars. You are the one that makes the baby's chest heave and gasp their first breath. You are the one who sees every sparrow. You are the one who grows the beautiful pile of carrots, who swells the apples till they drop, who turns the pumpkins orange and adds the smell to cinnamon. All this to give us life, and life abundantly. You are the one who can rock us in Your arms and give us peace. Unbelievable, unshakable peace.

So in sickness and in health, we face this week with You Lord.

"We pray that you will be STRENGTHENED with His glorious POWER so that you will have all the PATIENCE and ENDURANCE you need. May you be filled with JOY, always thanking the Father." --Colossians 1:11

all other verses from Phil. 1: 19-22

Sept. 15, 2014

Wow! Let's get back to praying together! I need it. And so many fronts on this spiritual battle need our attention...at a time when attention is perhaps one of our most priceless, treasured commodities...

Thanks for joining with me, Sisters.

Great is Thy Faithfulness, O God My Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassion they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Oh Father God,
Everything around us is changing--everything we know changes. Border lines. People's minds. Our own bodies resisting efforts to remain timeless. Yet somehow, beyond the beyond, You are constant. You are everlasting. You are faithful.

Faithful. How we need that. And how we can't even give it back. On our own, we are so adrift. Please anchor us Lord. Hold our thoughts when the grocery list, the beheadings, the lost school books distract us. Lord we lay down our lives, we lay down our attention before You.
Thank You for Your faithfulness. Make us faithful. Thank You for new mercies, morning after morning after morning.

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Lord thank You for a beautiful fall! Thank You for leaves turning aflame! Thank You for harvests--wheat fields turned golden, full corn ears, ruby red tomatoes, perfect chunky pumpkins. Thank You for overflowing abundance.

Lord forgive us for being carried away by anxiety. And our wants. And just plain old self-centeredness.

So many things, Father God, that we need You to help us with.

We pray, pray, pray, pray for the persecuted church. May they see You even in their last breath. Strengthen and comfort them. May they be found faithful.

And may their chains cause our boldness. Even as young people are attracted to the passion of the extremists, may more be attracted to the commitment of the Christ followers. May we be heard today--at the commissary, the soccer field, the mail boxes. Lord may we overwhelm our post--the place where You assigned us--with the gospel.

Lord, please bring Pastor Saeed home.

Lord be with our deployed soldiers. Give them wisdom and strength. May they be in the right.

Lord please protect our soldiers and families from the depression and suicide. Open our eyes to the hurting. Use us, we pray. We want to be the light in the darkness.

Lord help us to carry out our little lives today as You would have us. We have to pay bills. We have to run car pools. We have to cook dinner. But we can do this all Your way.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness,
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness
Lord unto me!