A Prayer For God's Tender Care During Hard Times

 The book of Psalms in the Bible is a collection of 150 songs, poems, and prayers that really touch many different human experiences and express pretty much any and every emotion  we’ll ever know.

Today we will pray with some verses from Psalm 116.  We begin with these words:

I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.  Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.  Psalm 116:1-2

Heavenly Father, we are so grateful that You are so attentive to us.  We can always reach Your heart when we call out to You.  You bend down to listen so You hear every word, every emotions, every cry of our heart.  We need that kind of companionship of a dear and caring friend today.  We will bring all of our day, all of our heart to You because it is only in Your blessing and presence that we can live.

The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”  Psalm 116:3-4

With everything going on around the world with this Covid-19 pandemic, virus variants from many places, escalating case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths, we pray to You, Lord.  We want our hearts and spirits to be lifted up above the challenges of isolation and restrictions, even above sorrow and sadness.  We don’t want our hearts to get calloused to human suffering but we want to see the victory of Your life-giving power as stronger than whatever this broken world can throw at us.

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.  Palm 116:5-9

We can only echo the words of the Psalmist when He said how gracious and merciful You are Lord.  Life with You isn’t complicated.  When we stay simple and cast ourselves and our burdens on You, You save us.  Your comfort us, wipe our tears, and care for our shattered emotions.  You give us rest.  You pour out blessing and peace on us so that we can stand strong, walk forward with confidence, and really live well each day You give us life and breath.  Lord, we just want to stay close to You today and receive all of these things.  Help us to not block the sweet work of care and comfort You are trying to work in us today by hanging onto anxiety and complaint.  Help us to give ourselves completely into your care.

What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord, I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. 16 O Lord, I am your servant;  I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.  Psalm 116:12-14, 16-17)

And so with great thanks for Your faithful love we speak about Your goodness, Lord.  All day long we’ll bring to mind the good things You are doing in every situation we face.  When we look back on the events of the day, even the parts that weren’t perfect, we’ll allow You to remind us of what was good, what was of You, and encourage us with the truth that even in the difficult bits, You are working for good for us, because we love You.

And Lord we end these few moments in prayer where we began – in Your tender care as we acknowledge once again:

I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.  Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.  Psalm 116:1-2