Prayer So We Don't Quit Before The Miracle Happns

Saturday June 20, 2020

DON’T QUIT BEFORE THE MIRACLE HAPPENS

More and more in daily briefings and newscasts we are hearing people warn about pandemic fatigue in the general population. Habits we were careful to maintain early on in the pandemic don’t seem quite so important now as we emerge from Phase 1. There’s almost an underlying thought that “we’ve got this virus licked.” While we want to have faith that we are well on the journey and that all the hard work of isolating and social distancing and increased hygiene practices are paying off – and we see numbers of new positive cases of COVID-19 reduce in many places – locally at least. – we still need to heed the warnings and reminders that we are being given that we still have the virus in the community and that there is currently still no vaccine available to protect us.

"Don't quit before the miracle happens" is a slogan that's been around recovery circles for quite a while. Someone has added this phrase to it, "Anything worthwhile takes time and patience." These words apply to this season of the pandemic as well. The Bible encourages us:

Be strong. Don’t give up. God will reward you for your work.

Let us not become tired of doing good. At the right time

we will gather a crop if we don’t give up.

2 Chronicles 15:7, Galatians 6:9

So let’s pray today for patience and perseverance to keep doing what is right and continue to move toward the finish line both in terms of the pandemic, and in building our lives with God and growing mature in our love for Him. Let’s pray

Heavenly Father, we thank you for encouragement that You send our way during these tough days. Help us to remember today that good things take effort and patience. Give us grace to keep on doing the things that help us and those we love stay safe and healthy. We pray to be those that others can depend on to do our part and to support others who may struggle to do theirs.

But Lord, even more than doing what’s necessary to be physically well, we want to continue to do the simple things that help us live well with You every day. It’s easy to feel like reading the Bible and meditations and praying every day is a bit ordinary sometimes. It feels a bit mundane. So many things intrude on our thoughts and there are always many distractions around us. We pray for help to really take time – even a few minutes – to welcome Your word into our hearts and lives every morning and to take a few minutes every night to sort through the day with You, giving thanks for the good stuff and asking forgiveness and healing for the things that went wrong.

Even if it is a bit of a struggle, help us to be disciplined and to do what’s right until the new habits become as much a part of our life as having a cup of coffee or tea in the morning, or brushing our teeth and combing our hair.

God promises:

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.

Don’t be discouraged,

for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you.

I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

You are with us. We don’t have to be discouraged if we do stumble here and there. If we will reach out to You, You will strength us and help us and hold us up with Your own right hand. We want to lean on Your steadiness today. We want to stick with You God, until the miracle happens and our lives are rooted in You.

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord,

you must continue to follow him.

Let your roots grow down into him,

and let your lives be built on him.

Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you

were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:6-7