Tonight, Lord,
I have on my mind and in my heart
folks who wonder if you've forgotten them,
folks who feel you've forgotten them,
folks who fear you've forgotten them,
folks who believe you've forgotten them;
folks who wonder if you hear their prayers
if you know their pain,
if you see their tears;
folks who've waited and waited
for such a long time
for an answer, for help, for a sign of your presence,
for peace and healing
in mind and body and spirit...
I'm praying tonight, Lord, for all those folks
whose plates and laps are full to overflowing;
whose hearts are burdened
with problems and worries,
fears and anxiety, loss and grief
- and too much work
or want of a job to make ends meet...
I pray tonight, Lord,
for all who find it hard to believe,
to conceive, expect and to hope
that all shall be well, all shall be well,
that all manner of things shall be well...
I pray you make yourself known to them, Lord,
that your presence be palpable, clear and abiding...
I pray you pierce through their veil of sadness
with the light and warmth
of your grace and peace...
I pray, Lord, you lessen their many burdens,
lighten their load
and relieve their stress and strain...
I pray you rise up strong in their hearts
and lift them with you, to trust and hope
that all shall be well, indeed
that all manner of things shall be well - for them...
I pray for those who'll toss and turn tonight,
unable to sleep,
their thoughts caught up in worry and fear
of what tomorrow may bring...
Give them peace, give them rest,
give them hope, O Lord,
that awake, you'll be always by their side
and asleep, you'll guard them through the night
until a new day dawns...
Amen.
Two songs for prayer and reflection tonight...
For times when you're really struggling in faith
to believe and understand...
There is a wrestling in my heart and my mind
A disturbance and a tension I cannot seem to drive
And if I'm honest, there's quite a bit of fear
To sit here in this silence and really hear you
What will you ask of me?
Will I listen to your voice when you speak?
Help me to move
Help me to see
Help me to do whatever you would ask of me
Help me to go
God help me to stay
I'm feeling so alone here
And I know that you're faithful
But I can barely breathe
God help me
Sometimes things, they are black and white
But sometimes they are not and it leaves us torn inside
And in the middle we are left to wonder
Who we are, what you want and where we're going
Oh, such a mystery
I don't always understand
But I believe
Chorus
I don't know the future
It's one day at a time
But I know I'll be okay with your hand holding mine
So take all my resistance
Oh God I need your grace
One step and then the other, show me the way
Chorus
And for times when the struggle has deepened your faith...
O God, You Search Me
O God, you search me and you know me.
All my thoughts lie open to your gaze.
When I walk or lie down you are before me:
Ever the maker and keeper of my days.
You know my resting and my rising.
You discern my purpose from afar,
and with love everlasting you besiege me:
In every moment of life or death, you are.
Before a word is on my tongue, Lord,
you have known its meaning through and through.
You are with me beyond my understanding:
God of my present, my past and future, too.
Although your Spirit is upon me,
still I search for shelter from your light.
There is nowhere on earth I can escape you:
Even the darkness is radiant in your sight.
For you created me and shaped me,
gave me life within my mother’s womb.
For the wonder of who I am I praise you:
Safe in your hands, all creation is made new.
