Prayer To Recognize God With Us In This New Season
Wednesday May 27, 2020
As the shops and businesses reopen and local economies are opened up for many of us it feels like we are entering a new season.
It seems like it was winter when everything shut down and now it is spring and on some days almost summer – it’s warm enough.
I know that in speaking to my mom, with the warmer weather, the staff are organizing more activities for the residents on the patio where she lives so they can practice appropriate social distancing and still have some visits with family and friends, hear musical programs and so on.
There is certain joy in these new beginnings and some concern with ongoing cases of COVID-19 virus still being diagnosed every day - so many people in the community who have never been tested and who may still be spreading the disease even though they are symptom-less themselves. Health officials and others continue to be on watch for the “2nd wave.” One said that they’ve never seen a virus such as this without there being a 2nd wave and that 2nd wave can be worse than the first.
So here we are with a new season but ….. so in this new season – non-new season - I’m never been more grateful for the stability of God’s Word to show us a path forward in these times.
For the last little while I’ve been spending time in one of the more familiar books of the bible – the Gospel of John and I think there is light for our journey from day to day to be found in these verses even though some of them are so familiar to us we almost have them stuck in a compartment and are perhaps hardly able to really hear the beauty and challenge of them. Let’s let God’s Word speak to us today in a fresh way and shape our minds and hearts.
It seems like it was winter when everything shut down and now it is spring and on some days almost summer – it’s warm enough.
I know that in speaking to my mom, with the warmer weather, the staff are organizing more activities for the residents on the patio where she lives so they can practice appropriate social distancing and still have some visits with family and friends, hear musical programs and so on.
There is certain joy in these new beginnings and some concern with ongoing cases of COVID-19 virus still being diagnosed every day - so many people in the community who have never been tested and who may still be spreading the disease even though they are symptom-less themselves. Health officials and others continue to be on watch for the “2nd wave.” One said that they’ve never seen a virus such as this without there being a 2nd wave and that 2nd wave can be worse than the first.
So here we are with a new season but ….. so in this new season – non-new season - I’m never been more grateful for the stability of God’s Word to show us a path forward in these times.
For the last little while I’ve been spending time in one of the more familiar books of the bible – the Gospel of John and I think there is light for our journey from day to day to be found in these verses even though some of them are so familiar to us we almost have them stuck in a compartment and are perhaps hardly able to really hear the beauty and challenge of them. Let’s let God’s Word speak to us today in a fresh way and shape our minds and hearts.
Listen to these words as we get ready to pray:
In the beginning
was the Word,
and the Word
was with God,
and the Word
was God.
He was with God
in the beginning.
John 1:1-2
At the beginning of this new and still very different season, God, as You are in every season, You are with us. Actually you are before us and beside us and surround and come after us. Our lives are in You – in You we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28 That’s so encouraging during these days of change and flux. We were made by You and for You and it is only at Your command that we exist today.
We’re blessed God that You are the living word and that You are speaking living words to us today. Even better is the reality that You ARE THE LIVING WORD in us and while our heads struggle to understand how the great and powerful God who made the universe can actually come and live in us, You said it and so it is our great privilege and joy to live in that experience today, with You.
We don’t know what’s ahead. We are at the beginning of this (new but still strange) season but because You are with us we will be okay. You are God. You are our God. You made time. You made us. You made this world. You understand how everything works together. You are with us. You are for us. You will never leave us nor forsake us. We feed our souls on this great truth and take comfort and courage from it.
We appreciate the simplicity and clarity of Your word when it reminds us:
We’re blessed God that You are the living word and that You are speaking living words to us today. Even better is the reality that You ARE THE LIVING WORD in us and while our heads struggle to understand how the great and powerful God who made the universe can actually come and live in us, You said it and so it is our great privilege and joy to live in that experience today, with You.
We don’t know what’s ahead. We are at the beginning of this (new but still strange) season but because You are with us we will be okay. You are God. You are our God. You made time. You made us. You made this world. You understand how everything works together. You are with us. You are for us. You will never leave us nor forsake us. We feed our souls on this great truth and take comfort and courage from it.
We appreciate the simplicity and clarity of Your word when it reminds us:
Through him
all things
were made;
without him
nothing was made
that has been made.
John 1:3
We want to acknowledge once again that we are made by You and that our lives are lived only at Your word.
Children are born today and people die today and You are watching over it all – Your love and care, joy and sorrow, are there with every person in each stage of life. We pray today to simply live this day well and leave all the other days with You. You are acquainted with all our ways. That’s so good to know and helps us hold onto something higher than this pandemic.
We’re not captives of this virus – wave 1 or wave 2 or wave whatever. Life comes from You, God and we are encouraged by that. You alone know the number of days we will live on this earth – they are all recorded in Your book. All we can concern ourselves with is today and so that’s where we focus our hearts today – help us to live for you today – your will not ours. Your plan not ours. Your way of doing things – not ours.
And not that we should just sit back and let fate hit us – that’s not what you have in mind - but we want to take time to intentionally consult You and listen for Your voice. We want to move at a pace today that helps us hear Your guidance in a moment so we can go forward in a particular direction or shift because You say it’s better. You made us and You made this day so You know how we are meant to operate in these times that seem strange.
So we today receive Your blessing, peace that passes understanding, Your joy, Lord that is our strength, and Your guidance Holy Spirit that helps us walk in all truth. Amen
Children are born today and people die today and You are watching over it all – Your love and care, joy and sorrow, are there with every person in each stage of life. We pray today to simply live this day well and leave all the other days with You. You are acquainted with all our ways. That’s so good to know and helps us hold onto something higher than this pandemic.
We’re not captives of this virus – wave 1 or wave 2 or wave whatever. Life comes from You, God and we are encouraged by that. You alone know the number of days we will live on this earth – they are all recorded in Your book. All we can concern ourselves with is today and so that’s where we focus our hearts today – help us to live for you today – your will not ours. Your plan not ours. Your way of doing things – not ours.
And not that we should just sit back and let fate hit us – that’s not what you have in mind - but we want to take time to intentionally consult You and listen for Your voice. We want to move at a pace today that helps us hear Your guidance in a moment so we can go forward in a particular direction or shift because You say it’s better. You made us and You made this day so You know how we are meant to operate in these times that seem strange.
So we today receive Your blessing, peace that passes understanding, Your joy, Lord that is our strength, and Your guidance Holy Spirit that helps us walk in all truth. Amen
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