prayer

God, did you hear?

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God, did you hear the world shout?
They decided
not
to believe
in you.
Not just
a lone voice
in the desert,
but all your believers, too.

God, did you hear the world shout?
Give us
science,
that’s what we
understand.
The scientific method
will unify the nations
and bring solace and joy
to the land.

God, with all the shouting,
how can anyone hear?
How can they look
at your creation
and not believe
you are near?

God, we humans
have made such an awful mess
of what you created for us
while not believing
and wanting everything
except you
we’ve made
deadly short cuts
to our lusts.

God forgive us
and bring us
into relationship
with you.
Let us place you first
in our hearts and homes
until the world you made
is renewed.

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelations 21:1-4

My Mind

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help me mind my mind oh Lord
where it’s going
where it’s been
when it’s settled on
higher things
or heavy burdened
with sin
when it’s lifted up with worship
to amazing grace
in league with a heavenly choir
setting the sanctuary ablaze
let me not on a rare day
meet Your Spirit there
but rather often seek to commune with You Lord
in the midst of Your angels fair

This Race, this War.

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Do you not know that those who run in a race all run,
but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way
that you may win.
1 Corinthians 9:24

I’ve run too far with you Lord,
to risk looking back now.
I’ve trusted you more than my feelings.
These hands hold tightly to your word
for within is the essence of healing.

Each day I expect a battle Lord;
some days I’m a victor, others, bloody and sore.
I’m confident of this always,
as I step out my door,
fights will come and go always,
You Lord, and Your’s have already won the war.

See Through Me, Lord.

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I am strong, because I’ve been weak.
I’m fearless, because I’ve been afraid.
I’m wise, because I’ve been foolish.
Ritu Ghataurayu

See through me, Lord. Lay waste all my devices of hiding.
You, the one who sees in me what I cannot, bring forth
what is worthy to serve.

See through me, Lord. When I insist on complication, let
the child within me express enthusiasm and simple, powerful
faith.

See through me, Lord. Encourage me to be foolish, when I
would rather waste time calculating risks, than boldly do what You ask.

See through me, Lord.
Lord, see me through.

Destiny Please Part 2

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Destiny please,
what you see, is just the beginning.
Now that I can see
the purpose in the pain
and I’m not foolin’ around anymore.

Destiny please,
The seed that God planted
and nurtured with the sun and the rain
is bursting forth and spreading its wings.
Soaring to
where the air is thin
and it’s terribly hard to breathe.

Little do you know,
but great you should expect
from the One
Who invented miracles.

Destiny please,
When the rain’s falling,
and tragedy’s calling
out its siren song,
help me remain steady,
as a tide pool’s eddy,
content in the knowledge
with God I’ll carry on.

Fully aware of the past,
not forgetting, but moving on,
rejoicing in His healing power,
leaning on His Word
hour by hour.

Destiny please,
complete in release,
He is worthy
to be praised and
all creation sings its song.
Despite what goes wrong.
I’ll continue…
in faith.

Destiny Please Part 1

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Destiny please,
what you see, is just the beginning.
Now that I can see
the purpose in the pain
and I’m not foolin’ around anymore.

Destiny please,
The seed that God planted
and nurtured with the sun and the rain
is bursting forth and spreading its wings.
Soaring to
where the air is thin
and it’s terribly hard to breathe.

Little do you know,
but great you should expect
from the One
Who invented miracles.

Immeasurable

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We have not the device to measure your
grace
Nor does your love for us make
sense
The unmerited devotion which flows from
You
fills our cup till we can hold no
more
If earth is the trial ground let us seek to
return
in whatever way we are
able
learning each day to give back to you
Lord
what you’ve served so well at your
table

Comfort

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Blessed by the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies and God of all
comfort,
who comforts us in all our
affliction so that we will be able to
comfort those who are in any affliction
with the comfort with
which we ourselves are comforted
by God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Heavenly Father,
Comfort those in mourning,
whose loved ones’ hearts beat on
in memories joy and pain filled
during lonely nights and dawns.

Comfort minds lost and broken,
those who cannot rest. Bring
them caregivers gentle, angels
heaven sent.

Comfort broken limbs and burned
skin, arms and legs no longer there,
that still send messages of pain,
phantoms in the air.

Comfort First Responders, who see
more than they should, who go when
others stay, who do more than others
could.

Comfort enforcers of law,
the ones who wear the vest,
who put our safety first
while making their arrests.

Comfort the military,
our red line around
the world, the ones who
often run into harms way
with our flag unfurled.

Comfort the healers,
who administer best aid
for our ills small or
grievous, their dedication
never wains.

Comfort for the Pastors,
who count everyone their
flock, whose hearts might
stretch out of their chests
while they point the way
to the walk.

Lord, if we can’t give comfort,
at least let us not add pain.
Let us, like all the other helpers,
be there for those in need
when sorrow rains.

It’s a Mystery

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Lord, so much baffles and confuses us,
causes consternation and pain.
Much like acid rain,
we insist on short term gain
to our detriment.

It’s our right!
and it’s a mystery.

We got really good at making,
and then at selling,
then consuming.

China was impatient
to grow too,
and so they did.
Now in their cities
they hardly ever see the sun
or blue sky,
but they’re getting so much better
at building fancy cars.

It’s their right!
and it’s a mystery

You have yours
so I’ll have mine.
Let me manifest my destiny!
Don’t get between me
and my ocean.

When did wisdom become
a dirty word,
or a stumbling block
to progress?
When did the law
and justice
become enemies,
the first for revenue,
the latter
to symbolically appease.

Might may make right,
but all fists
grow old
and lose their grip
on fortune.

It’s giants’ rights,
and it’s a mystery.

Is it just my sore knees talking
or the explosions in the news?
Why are so many
willing to kill
to express their views?

I confess to being weary
with us,
the human race,
the evil
too easy to express.
Father, help me lift up my head.
I’m not strong enough
on my own to abide,
so help me with Your Word
to find peace inside,
and believe that this all
will pass away,
and
a new earth
will replace
this way.

Lord, help us learn to build
instead of tearing down.
Help us practice solutions
and build bridges.
Let us replace Facebook rants
and political hate
with better choices
and level voices.
Let us be the men and women
we admire.
Help us to be quiet enough
to hear you speaking.

Let the mystery of
why so many harm
become the mystery
of why so many heal.
With your grace,
help us be the ones
who reveal
Your love for human-kind
through Your death
and resurrection.

Thank you Lord,
for listening.

Expectations

Give ear to my words,
O Lord,
Consider my groaning.
Heed the sound of my
cry for help, my King
and my God,
For to You I pray.
In the morning, O Lord,
You will hear my voice;
In the morning I will
order my prayer to You
and eagerly watch.
Psalm 5:1-3

I wish I started out every day like the Psalmist.
The truth is there are way too many days
that are off to the races before I’ve really
given God a chance to be involved in my
plans. David wasn’t afraid to throw it all
on the table before God. My favorite part of this
Psalm is at the end of the third verse where he
says, “In the morning I will order my prayer to
You and eagerly watch.” For David, his God was not
cold, silent, and still. He put his prayers out before
God and “eagerly” waited to see what God would do.
God wants to be involved in your life, but your attitude
and expectation will greatly determine His degree of
involvement.