A Prayer To Know We Are More Than A Statistic To God

 Living well from one day to the next and one week to the next during this season of the pandemic is challenging to say the least.  We hear encouraging news from one part of the world about vaccination rates and a minute later have our hearts broken by immense suffering and catastrophic loss of human life somewhere else.  We’ve seen so many statistics during these months. 

One area of statistics is the incidence of these blood clots that are striking some folks after they receive either the Astra Zeneca or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.  While we know these cases are very rare, and suffering death from COVID-19 is a much greater risk from not being vaccinated, each case of these problems is very significant to the individuals and families who have to deal with them. 

We do pause and pray, Loving Father, for all who have been impacted this week by both the virus and side effects from vaccinations.  You know the heart and the history of each person.  You have a plan for their life and a desire to bless them and draw them close to yourself.  We pray for healing and comfort for all involved.  We pray for generosity in wealthier countries to share vaccine worldwide and other needed health supplies.  We pray that we will all do our part to stop the spread wherever we live.  We ask for your mercy, God, to stem the tide of this deadly pandemic. 

It’s important to know the facts, as much as we can, but at the same time it’s good to remember that we are so much more than a statistic to God.  We are, in fact, wonderfully made and formed by God who tells us in the scriptures that he knew us even before we were formed in our mother’s womb.  In His great love for us God wants to pour understanding and love into our lives so we can really live. 

Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.  May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.  Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.  May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees, that I may not be put to shame.  Psalm 119:73, 76-77, 80

We were never meant to do life on our own.  What a disaster that has proved for each of us personally and for communities and nations.  Once again today, with simple trusting hearts, we affirm God as our loving creator, trustworthy guide, and compassionate Saviour.

Lord today, we put our hope in Your word.  We want the understanding of how life works that You are willing to share with us.  Sometimes it’s simply comfort and strength to get through one day with its challenges, and other times is great joy as we are conscious of how many blessings we receive from You from day to day.  In whatever state we find ourselves today, God, we want to do this day with You.  We are powerless on our own and our lives so quickly become unmanageable when we lurch from one emotion to the next, one faulty reaction to another without Your guidance and help.

Give us willingness to obey You wholeheartedly.  We know that as we do our lives will be changed forever. Everyone will benefit from what You are able to do in us and then through us to bless not only family and friends but a wider sphere of people in the community.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Sustain us today with Your comfort and make us strong so we can come alongside others who are struggling and offer them the same love that has brought us hope and strength.  Thank you for never giving up on us but every day making fresh love available to us.  We’re so blessed that we are not just some nameless statistic to You but a dearly loved and well-known individual for whom You have a caring plan and purpose that includes who we are and what we face today.

Today, we will wholeheartedly fix our thoughts on You, the source and goal of our faith and live well within the personal life-giving relationship You’ve made available to us through Jesus.

Today we celebrate you, your individual personality and your place in the circle of family, friends, and community where God has placed you.  We want to hold onto that and celebrate that in the middle of this climate of daily statistics.