Why Me?

Judges 6:13 

“If the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?”

Dear Lord, 

In the midst of the coronovirus pandemic one might ask…

why is this happening? 

But the answer is as elusive as the problem of suffering…

we don’t know. 

But rather than focusing on fear and “why me”, 

maybe we should see this pandemic as a wake-up call…

not just for us, 

but for our country and 

indeed the entire world. 

Is this a time to ask 

the really important questions like: 

What is my purpose in life? 

What is the purpose of being a parent? 

What part does my faith play in my attitude towards my daily actions?

Can this pause of social distancing 

be an opportunity to write a personal letter of appreciation 

to a parent, a grandparent, a child or a sick friend? 

Could this be a time to deal with anger and 

do away with the “pernicious contempt for others” 

that divides people, political parties and countries?

Can this be a time of prayer, 

a time of forgiveness and 

a time of healing the very fabric of our society?

This is our prayer to You O Lord...

but what is OUR response? 

Amen


________

The above prayer was written by my father-in-law, Rev. Dr. Francis Burriss.

Dr. Burriss serves as the Chaplain of the Senate of South Carolina.

This prayer is shared with his permission and was prayed as the opening of regular session of the Senate on March 17, 2020.

Just Breathe ... Breath Prayers during Anxious Times

Breath Prayers for Anxious Times
How to do Breath Prayers:

Inhale. Fill your whole self with breath.
Feel air in your lungs. And then in your mind say the first line of the prayer.
... then Exhale slowly and fully as say the 2nd line.

(From Matthew 11:28-30)
Inhale: Humble and gentle One,
Exhale: you are rest for my soul.

(From John 15)
Inhale: True Vine and Gardener,
Exhale: I abide in You.

(From Romans 8:38-39)
Inhale: Nothing can separate me,
Exhale: from the love of God.

(From Psalm 46:10)
Inhale: Be still
Exhale: and know you are God.

(From Matt. 6:10)
Inhale: On earth
Exhale: as it is in heaven.

(From 2 Cor. 12:9)
Inhale: Your grace
Exhale: is enough for me.

(From 1 John)
Inhale: There is no fear
Exhale: in your Love.

(From Psalm 23)
Inhale: I will not be afraid
Exhale: for You are with me.

(From Psalm 46:1)
Inhale: You are our refuge
Exhale: and our strength.

(From Psalm 74:16)
Inhale: Both day and night
Exhale: belong to You.

(From Psalm 91:1)
Inhale: I find rest
Exhale: in Your shelter.

(From Psalm 103: 4-5)
Inhale: You surround me with love
Exhale: and tender mercies.
Inhale: You fill my life
Exhale: with good things.

(From Philippians 4:7)
Inhale: Peace of Christ,
Exhale: guard my heart and mind.


________
The above prayers shared from:
https://sarahbessey.substack.com/p/breath-prayers-for-anxious-times

Prayer During A Pandemic

Prayer During A Pandemic
May we who are merely inconvenienced
Remember those whose lives are at stake.

May we who have no risk factors
Remember those most vulnerable.

May we who have the luxury of working from home
Remember those who must choose between preserving
their health or making their rent.

May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close
Remember those who have no options.

May we who have to cancel our trips
Remember those who have no safe place to go.

May we who are losing our margin money
In the tumult of economic markets
Remember those who have no margin at all.

May we who settle in for a quarantine at home
Remember those who have no home.

As fear grips our country,
Let us choose love.

During this time when we cannot physically
Wrap our arms around each other,
Let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace
Of God to our neighbors.

AMEN.

__________

the above prayer written by Cameron Bellm.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9r5sDIDOWR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

View this post on Instagram

Here in Seattle, there’s talk of little else besides the coronavirus. As the situation continues to unfold in our country, I’ve been trying to take a step back and consider all the ways it is affecting people, beyond the obvious disruptions of work and travel. We have a very human instinct to draw into ourselves when threatened, to claw madly for the last bottle of hand sanitizer. In my own effort to overcome that instinct, I wrote this prayer for us (in my wonky sharpie, on the kitchen floor). I was thinking that maybe one nice way to open our hearts to each other would be to gather all the money we are saving by staying home (work transportation, meals out, trips canceled) and donate it to organizations that are helping provide care to the most vulnerable. Let us love one another. ❤️ #coronavirus

A post shared by Cameron Bellm (@krugthethinker) on Mar 9, 2020 at 4:51pm PDT