BINDING SOUL AND SOURCE
Prayers for the Church Street Family
February 18, 2021
Rev. Dr. Jan Buxton Wade
You gotta walk that lonesome valley,
You gotta walk it by yourself;
For nobody else can walk it for you.
You gotta walk it by yourself.
(Woodie Guthrie)
Creator of Darkness, this morning we had only begun that long Lenten walk toward Jerusalem when we found ourselves already dreading the journey. We know you want us to widen our hearts, but we fear there will be too much pain involved. Most days we are pretty comfortable just plugging along, yet you are trying to teach us the ways of humility. Thread your fingers through ours, we pray, and walk with us until we are brave enough to travel that lonely road of introspection on our own. Keep your candle burning in the distance, though, lest we lose our way again.
Under sunless skies, Lord, we headed for home today, only to find our failures and inadequacies were traveling in the car with us; they entered the front door and are even now occupying the most comfortable seats in the house. One by one they seem to mock us. Well, they know it is their season to openly present themselves, so we shouldn’t be surprised. But have mercy, we pray, that as we own each of our defeats and failings, they may not linger too long, but will find the back door and disappear into the mist, never to be seen again. Their brothers and sisters will also visit, but we will deal with them on other days.
Give us that fresh start tomorrow, we pray, that we may be unencumbered. And how do we know we are freed from what is past? We walk by faith and not by sight, as do our friends who offer their thanksgivings and their concerns to the One who is ever faithful:
- Thanksgiving: A home has sold and loan is absolved
- A senior living facility is reopening for visitors the 22nd
- Elder member sends gratitude that he is remembered by the church
- Thankful for work of Parish Health Team in procuring vaccinations
- Gratitude: For a clear follow-up cancer scan
- Family grateful for short vacation
- Courage for both husband and wife diagnosed with ALS
- Healing: Brother and wife suffering with Covid
- Guidance for mother concerning her son’s health
- Those struggling with recent bereavements
- Young mother undergoing surgery Friday
- For one having chemo treatment Friday
- A solution for member anxious about housing
- Prayers for our Stephen Ministers
- Families devastated by shooting deaths in our city
- God’s help for mother building a stable life for her children
- Prayers for young sister-in-law undergoing mastectomy Friday
- God’s guidance for couple who may have to move
- Tolerance for one in extensive radiation treatment
- Healing for a young grandson
- A solution for the gun violence in Knoxville
Guardian of our Souls, enfold us in your arms of mercy this night and may we join all your children who will know the tranquility only you can give. Draw in our individual and collective prayers shared this eve, that your love may be known to each one who longs for closer communion with your Son, the Christ, 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.
