Saturday, April 10, 2010

Guidance In Troubled Times

Eternal God, our Father we would learn more about how to come into your presence to pray. We know we are not heard for our much speaking, but rather for what is in our hearts. We confess that words come easily to our lips, but so often our hearts are far from you. We thank you for the assurance that the Spirit Himself pleads with God for us, in groans that words cannot express. May we open our lives now to Thy Spirit, and ask that the barriers we have erected which keep us from being open and honest with you and others, be broken down. As the flood tide of anger and hatred and fear, and self-destruction pour out of our inner lives, let the Holy Spirit of love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, kindness, self-control pour in. Help us to know the truth of the words we have spoken so often "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Our Father, we confess our need for guidance as we try to live in our confused world. We find it hard to know what to think or say or do. We hear many voices; so many remedies are proposed - so many plans of action are urged on us. As we think of the trouble today in church and state, save us from closing our minds and hardening our hearts and raising our voices. Help us to believe that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Help us to take hold of the promise that if in all our ways we will acknowledge you, you will direct our paths. Keep us close to our Bibles, believing that you word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our pathway. And keep us close to your people, believing that still you will lead us through our own wilderness with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. "Drop Thy still dews of quietness, till all our striving cease; take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of Thy peace."
We commit to you all the needs of all the people. We cannot know, nor can we tell all of the heartaches and loneliness and suffering and indecision and sin represented. But we believe you do know and care. Our times are in your hand, and you will not cause your children a needless tear. Help us to lay our burden down and to believe that your strength is made perfect in weakness. Teach us the secret of being satisfied with what we have, to know what it is to be in need and what it is to have more than enough - to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives us. And at last, when we or those we love are called on to die, help us to be able to say, "Yea tho I walk thru the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me."
We ask it all in the name of Jesus. Amen

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