Pause for Prayer: FRIDAY 7/18

Wednesday, July 18, 2007: it was my day off and it was raining - not a beach day! I'd been thinking for some time about starting a blog and it seemed a good day to explore that possibility - so I did.  I was surprised to find how easy it is to set up a page online and before the afternoon was over, I had published my first post.  

 

That was 18 years ago today and since then I've published 13,068 posts and my blog has had 6,974,569 hits.

As a priest now retired from assigned ministry, writing this blog is an important way for me to continue to serve God's people - and to pray with you, my readers.  Writing this blog is also an important part of my own spiritual life!  Together, we are a community of believers who come to this virtual chapel at all hours of the day and night, meeting the Lord in prayer on line.

The most frequent comment readers make about the prayers I write is this: I can't believe how often you seem to know just what I needed to read and pray!  Well, the truth is: I don't know just what you need - but I believe that Jesus does and that through the grace of the Spirit, he weaves together all our needs into one great prayer from our collective heart.  Please be sure that I never forget how many people are praying with me through my blog - and I hope you never forget me and all the others who are praying with you...

 

Here we are again, Lord:

     your virtual congregation,

     gathered in our virtual chapel    

 offering you our real time, heartfelt prayers

     our needs and pleas and worries,

     our brokenness and disappointments,   

     our anxieties, joys and troubles,

     our questions, doubts and faith,

     our sorrows, recovery and grief,

     our struggles, smiles and distress,   

     our remorse, contrition and laughter,

     our pain, serenity and burdens,

     our heartaches, headaches and happiness,

     our apprehensions, scruples and gratitude,

     our contrition, consolation and growth,

     our thanksgiving and glory and praise...

 

Only a virtual sanctuary, Lord,

     could make room for all we bring

         each time we gather!

 

 We gather together, Lord,

     though we sit by ourselves;

 and we pray together

     in a hushed, shared, silence

 and we often sing together

     in a choir only you can hear…

 

We pray for one another,

     gathered in the faith we share,

     connected by the Spirit's wi-fi,

     one in trust and hope in you

     and in the prayer we offer,

     every night and day…

 

We praise you, Lord,

    from whom all blessings flow! 

Amen.

I Will Pray For You

    by  Mark Hayes and Randy Cox

 

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I have prayed for you
that your faith is still held fast.

I prayed for you,

a guard against the tempest

Every time you’re brought to mind,

every prayer you’ve left behind.

I have raised you up on high,

I have prayed for you.

I have prayed for you

that God’s will is your guide.

I pray for you that you are led each day.

Every time I sense you there,

every time I knelt in prayer,

and in all this world of care

I have prayed for you.

I will pray that God’s strength

will hold you in the arms

of the One who gave his all for you.

I will pray every day

that this life of faith remains close

to my heart and mind.

I will pray, I will pray,

I will stay on my knees,

I will pray for you today.

God, who hears in all the secret places

will attend to our every plea.

All we ask, all we need, all our desires will be answered

in God’s own time, God’s own time.

I will pray that God’s strength

will hold you in the arms

of the One who gave his all for you.

I will pray every day

that this life of faith remains close

to my heart and mind.

I will pray, I will pray,

I will stay on my knees,

I will pray for you today.

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