prayer

prayer

Prayer for Coronavirus

Lord, in this time of anxiety, fear, and isolation, we come to you for support, encouragement, and direction. We lay our worried minds and troubled souls before you and in your care in prayer during the coronavirus. We are mindful of the words of the psalmist, “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). Today, we ask for your Spirit to be close to those who are afflicted and those who have lost loved ones due to the coronavirus. We ask for that same Spirit to be with them and us in uncertain times. Help calm our mind and soul. May your peace that surpasses all comprehension guard our hearts and minds.

We confess that at times we allow fear, not faith, to overtake us. We have not loved you, O God, and our neighbor with our words and deeds. Holy Spirit, aid us in our love and compassion of those who live next door and those who live on the other side of town.

God of compassion and grace, we cling to your Word and your presence in our homes, our church, and community. Just as Jesus visited towns and villages to cure the sick and infirm, we place our faith and hope in your healing power. May your divine love come down upon us and our world to end the spread of this pandemic. Strengthen those who are ill and uplift the downtrodden. Heal the sick and comfort the lowly this day. Carry in care those who are abroad and return our loved ones home safely.

For our leaders, O Lord, we ask that your great wisdom may be instilled with them. As our national and local leaders seek protection and safety for the public, help guide their decisions and actions. We pray for the leaders of every nation. May each country receive every human resource and divine resource to combat this great ill.

Great Physician, may your hand be upon every doctor, nurse, and health care worker as they care for the sick. Lift up and care for these men and women risking and sometimes sacrificing their very lives for the public good. Guard and defend them against every harm.

Lord Christ, you are our rock and salvation in distress, worry, and doubt. Just as the light shines bright upon sunrise, we pray your light of love and guidance shines bright in our hearts and minds. May we carry your light into the world, which you love so deeply, so that we may be the bearers of your grace. Give us, Eternal Father, your peace. May the words of the prophet Isaiah be true for us this day: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

In the name of our Lord Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Published at The Christian Citizen

blog, Culture, prayer

New York Times gets Senate prayer wrong

Unless you have been sleeping under a rock, our government is at a budget impasse and everyone is mad as hell. Senate Chaplain Rev. Barry Black, a retired Navy rear admiral, gave a Senate prayer that the New York Times reported as “scolding”:

The disapproval comes from angry constituents, baffled party elders and colleagues on the other side of the Capitol. But nowhere have senators found criticism more personal or immediate than right inside their own chamber every morning when the chaplain delivers the opening prayer.

The New York Times entitled the article, “Give Us This Day, Our Daily Senate Scolding” – written by Jeremy W. Peters – highlighted Rev. Black’s prayer as some sort of religious finger shaking. When you read and watch the prayer, one immediately can connect to the honesty of the situation:

prayer

A visit to Mount Saviour Monastery

Recently, I spent a few days at Mount Saviour M onastery and it was an incredible time of reflection, prayer, and spiritual enrichment. I also instituted a social media blackout. I must admit, I didn’t know what to expect. My friend and follow pastor David Bennett invited me to come.

In seminary I studied the monastic life and learned of the rich tradition in spiritual community. I was surprised with how God spoke to me and how I connected to a deeper prayer life. The monks pray based on St. Benedict’s monastic order and the Liturgy of the Hours:

4:45 am: Vigils
7:00 am: Lauds
9:00 am: Mass
12:00 pm: Sext
3:00 pm: None
6:30 pm :Vespers
8:15 pm : Compline

I wish I could say I was up at 4:45 a.m. but I was at Lauds every morning. The rhythm of the prayers is worshipful and reflective. The monks lead in singing hymns, psalms, prayer, and responsive liturgy. I was amazed how the song and prayer centered me. I can’t say that I came away from the experience with a profound insight in to God but did receive peace. Eating meals in silence help further the sense of listening rather than speaking. Humility of the monastic life requires one to listen instead of being quick to speak.

The monks tend to sheep, the farm, serve meals, and keep the property running. Mount Saviour Monastery is a place that houses a small group of monks and priests. There were some visiting Catholic deacons on retreat. In addition, there were visitors for the day.

Our accommodations were basic. A 10 x 6 foot room with a bed, desk, and window. Such simple rooming reminds you that basic comforts is all one needs to live a life of prayer. And like living in a dorm room in college, I didn’t make my bed for this shot.

The experience was an examination of how the monastic life is not a crazy way to live. Perhaps we live the crazy life: weighted down many possessions, worry, fear, and the general rat race of our culture. Living a life of prayer and worship is so freeing. We continuously consume social media, entertainment, and news. We have to take Sabbath and get away from those things in order to focus on “God things”.

Obama, prayer

At prayer breakfast, Obama is theologian-in-chief

At the National Prayer Breakfast Thursday morning, President Obama got theological in front of 3,000 attendees. Obama pulled passages from the Bible to encourage governmental policies to help the poor and provide more opportunities for the disadvantaged. Drawing from Jesus’ words, the president encourage higher taxes on wealthier Americans.

Drawing upon faith tenants from almost every world religion, Obama said,

“For me, as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’s teaching that ‘for unto whom much is given, much shall be required… I know that far too many neighbors in our country have been hurt and treated unfairly over the last few years, and I believe in God’s command to ‘love thy neighbor as thyself. I know the version of that Golden Rule is found in every major religion and every set of beliefs -– from Hinduism to Islam to Judaism to the writings of Plato.”

Last year, the president used the opportunity to proclaim his personal relationship with Jesus Christ at a time when 1 in 4 believed he was a Muslim. This year he shared how he begins every morning with prayer and a scripture devotional. In addition, he shared his experience and prayer time with Billy Graham, perhaps the most impactful preacher/pastor in the 20th century. Obama gave an insight into his personal prayer life since meeting Graham:

prayer

Prayer for Our Nation

Prayer for Our Nation, July 4th Prayer

Almighty God, you rule all the people of the earth.
Inspire the minds of all women and men
to whom you have committed the responsibility of government and leadership in the nations of the world.
Give to them the vision of truth and justice,
that by their counsel all nations
and peoples may work together.
Give to the people of our country zeal
for justice and strength or forbearance,
that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will.
Forgive our shortcomings as a nation;
purify our hearts to see and love the truth.
We pray all these things through Jesus Christ. Amen.

(Amy Langford, USA 20th cent.)

prayer

Mother’s Day Prayer

Prayer for Mothers

Leader: Mothers come in diverse portraits, and today we celebrate the gifts of the spirit we readily observe in these portraits.

All: Thank God for mothers!

Leader: Each of us is a son or a daughter.

All: Thank God for my mother!

Leader: For women who have gone before us and left us legacies of love, endurance, and inspiration.

All: Thank God for the women we commemorate in our hearts and lives.

Leader: For every woman currently working to nurture, teach, and love her children.

All: Thank God for the mothers of today.

Leader: For women who have made children their own through adoption or foster care.

All: Thank God for women who know motherhood is unbounded.

Leader: For women who mourn the death of a child.

All: Thank God for grieving mothers who depend on God’s love.

Leader: For all women, with or without children, who have extended their gifts of nurture and affirmation to members of their communities.

All: Thank God for women who are mothers by heart! We thank you, Lord, for women who have influenced our lives in so many ways.

Mother’s Day Prayer

blog, prayer

Adopt a Liberal

The Liberty Council, a nonprofit organization that defends religious liberties, is encouraging people to “Adopt a Liberal” and to “pray earnestly and intensely for them.” The Liberty Council is affiliated with Liberty University (Jerry Falwell founded the school) and has championed the idea of “praying” rather than politically criticizing “liberal” politicians.

The website that the Liberty Council created, has codified and has even named these liberals. Notable figures include:

President Barack Obama
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Senator Olympia Snowe

Surprisingly, this list is made of both Democrats and Republicans. Liberty University has long been associated with the “Christian Right” movement of the 1980’s and 1990’s through Jerry Fallwell’s involvement. This certainly changes the the idea that the “Christian Right” has always been closely connected to the Republican party.

Is this what Jesus meant by, “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” in Matthew 5? What is the motive behind such an organization?

The Liberty Counsel makes their intent clear:

prayer

3 Reasons Why You Believe in "Prayerism"

Is prayer becoming a religion unto itself? That was the question that The Wall Street Journal asked in its recent article entitled “Prayer’s Place in America.” A disconnect between prayer and religious affiliation has arrived:

39% of Americans attend church weekly yet 75% pray at least weekly, according to the Pew Religion Forum.
And maybe most remarkably: 35% of those who don’t identify with any religion at all — the “unaffiliated”– pray weekly or daily.
In fact, 58% overall, and 66% of American women pray daily.

With 39% of Americans attending church and 75% praying at least weekly, there seems to be a separation between religion and prayer. Or at least church attendance and prayer. If you are reading this blog, you probably do not attend church, but you are more likely to pray weekly. Statistically speaking of course.

The WSJ expounds on these notions:

But these statistics, as well as the popularity over the years of books like the Prayer of Jabez and The Secret and many other devotional books, show that prayer has become popular on its own, sometimes detached from the tradition of church. Call it Prayerism.

“Prayerism”. That’s a new term, but an old concept. The whole, “I’m not religious, I’m just spiritual” lends to this thinking of believing in prayer, but not attending church. Why?

Here are 3 reasons why you probably believe in “prayerism”, but don’t go to church:

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