BINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
March 22, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Song of the Late Hours, you bid us set aside the tools of our trade and enter the holy space at dusk. As the sun heads for its bedroom, we turn our ears to your melody that plays in the distance, for it promises to open the door of truth. . . . . . . . . . .
Ever Present One, often during the daytime we can keep our pain at bay. After all, we are well-practiced in movement and busy-ness, and there are myriads of projects that can hold our attention. At day’s end, however, we come home to ourselves, the real ”us” that we generally hold at bay. Meet us here, Lord, for some of us are facing grave challenges. Some of us are losing hope, some of us feel like giving up. Meet us here in our alone-ness, showing us in some way that your hand is upon our shoulders, instilling us with a strength that is beyond ourselves . . . . . . . . . . And in that strength, may we remember that even birds with broken wings can learn to fly again.
Lord, you have forgiven far more than we will ever acknowledge, and you have wiped clean that slate of our misdeeds of old. And though we have earnestly tried to keep to your paved covenant road of Lent, we again confess that we have frequently found ourselves detained in the potholes of our own making. Bend close, that we might even now reveal our most recent blunders . . . . . . . . . . We see you just ahead, Jesus, gesturing for us to pull ourselves out of the ruts, to dust off the clinging debris, and to re-join our fellow travelers who keep to more level ground. Steady our steps, we pray, for we do not wish to disappoint you when you meet your own hour of need.
So immense is your flow of grace that our thanksgivings can never enumerate the favors you send our way; but we extend our honor to you, O Breath of Benevolence, for the ways you have lifted our spirits in recent days . . . . . . . . . . . And receive also the praises from members of our own church family, as well as our pleas for holy assistance:
- Gratitude: Teenage grandchild home from hospital
- Prayers appreciated: Healthy grandchild born Saturday
- Thankful: Mother in Texas released from hospital
- Four send thanks for church’s help in acquiring virus vaccinations
- Member grateful for generous financial gift
- Clarity of vision for one in deliberation
- Wife celebrates visitation with ill husband in rehab
- Comfort for hospitalized member
- Family surrounding mother in hospice care
- Family mourning death of cherished mother
- Husband with MS, relief for breathing issues
- Correct diagnosis and treatment for one with lymphoma
- Proper diagnosis of a 6-year-old’s seizures
- Progress of elderly mother recovering in rehab
- Comfort for one recovering from knee malady
- Member healing from heart surgery
- Prayers for those grappling with addiction
- Healing grace for three in cancer treatment
Settle us down for the night as we leave all our insecurities in your capable hands, Gentle Savior, for we know that even in the precariousness of our world, your love and wisdom are sufficient. Soothe us now, and all whom we love, with your penetrating peace; and may we slumber in the divine assurance of Christ who said: “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age”:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
