Monday, October 28, 2019

Prayer when Overwhelmed

Dear God,
Their needs are so great.
Their pain so deep.
Your people hurt.

They cry out to me saying,
"Pastor, can you help me?"
"Pastor, will you pray for me?"
"Pastor, where can I go?"

I get overwhelmed with the needs:
sick and in hospital,
homeless and hungry,
broken and addicted,
abused and scared,
dying and alone.

So much need,
So much hurt,
too much for me.
So Lord, I turn to you.

You, O God, have moved with compassion 
for your people in the past:
"The Lord said, 'I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them...'" Exodus 3:7-8a 

You hear us when we cry to you:
"When the righteous cry for help, 
the Lord hears, 
and rescues them from all their troubles. 
The Lord is near 
to the brokenhearted, 
and saves the crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:17-18

Come and carry these burdens,
for I cannot.
Come and heal your people,
for you have and you can.
Come and make us whole!

Today I pray to you, O God.
It seems that's the best I can do.
I claim your promise to Paul:
“My grace is sufficient for you, 
for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
Let it be so for me today!
Amen.