A Concord Pastor Comments: NIGHT PRAYER: Saturday 4/5

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...

God Help Me by Plumb

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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

by Bernadette Farrell

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