BINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
March 29, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
Evening Presence, you slip in so quietly we sometimes miss your deepening footprints across the sky. Indeed, it is difficult to bid farewell to a day of sunshine and glory, so reflective of your own essence, O Holy One. Scripture tells us that one day whispers its secrets to the next, and perhaps those secrets are carried by the night breezes over the mountain of darkness, and into the hands of the awaiting patient dawn. Constant One, your message of grace goes out through all the earth and you come to us again and again. May we become wise enough to watch and to wait.
At eventide this Holy Monday, we set aside the buzzing of the world and turn our thoughts to you, O Christ, remembering the lonely journey you chose to take out of your immense love for all people. The cheering of the palm-waving crowd had already stilled by the time you took those first steps through Jerusalem’s gates. We marvel at the depth of your courage and your compassion. And soon enough we stragglers would learn the truth you carried inside yourself: that weakness and vulnerability form the solid base for spiritual strength.
Day to day and night to night you bring us mercy and hope, Loving Lord. Even today, when our vanities got in the way, you penetrated them to touch our souls. Especially we remember these particular graces you made possible. . . . . . . . . .
Scatter away all those false expectations we have of you, that we might open ourselves to whatever you have to teach us. Through heartbreak and remorse, through calamity and even death, rich lessons are to be learned; and it is you, Invigorating God, who waits to breathe new life into us. Breathe upon all these souls, we pray, who find themselves at a crossroads. Breathe upon all who place their praises at your feet:
- Thankful for prayers: Sister-in-law with double mastectomy will not be required to undergo radiation or chemotherapy
- Prayers appreciated: Lymphoma treatment will not be invasive
- Family thankful for safe weekend travel
- Gratitude: Latest scans show no spread of cancer
- Thankful for prayers: Knee repair is healing well
- Thanksgiving for church’s remarkable music ministry
- Grace and healing for member having prostate surgery
- Comfort for family mourning death of beloved uncle
- God’s healing: Young couple’s miscarriage
- Courage and strength for friend with intestinal cancer
- Son awaiting Covid test results
- Healing for family of toddler who drowned a few days ago
- Young family broken by alcoholism
- Continued prayers for one following serious eye surgery
- Continued strength for son fighting alcoholism
- Dear friend having medical tests in Murfreesboro
- Sustaining family of ill 6-year-old
- Husband facing third hip replacement
As we take our rest, Blessed Cup of Mercy, bathe us with forgiveness and pour out peaceful rest upon us. The coming days of your passion will be heavy, but your showers of mercy will restore our strength. And when morning comes, we will seek you early and serve you in the name of our Savior, who taught us to pray:
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.
