Tuesday, September 7, 2021

Prayer in times of uncertainty

Lord,
chaos and uncertainty
have always been part of family life.
Working together, parents and children
have always found ways to manage the chaos and live into uncertainty 
because of some steady rhythms of school, childcare, and work.
But even those seem to be eroding these days.

In our parenting,
help us remind our children
of our steady love and committed presence.
In our marriages,
help us remind each other
of our trust and loyalty when all else seems shaky.

And Lord,
reminded us of your steady presence and committed love,
for you are the solid rock,
the foundation that does not move or shake.
Though our worlds may crumble
and tumble into the sea,
you are the steady ground
on which our lives depend.

In this time of chaos and uncertainty,
Lord, teach us new rhythms 
of grace and patience,
of flexibility and hope,
of prayer and interdependence,
of honoring You in the ways we honor one another.

May it be so today
in my life
and in the life of the world.
Amen.

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Prayer for Marriage

Lord,
today I pray for marriages. 

A good marriage takes hard work. 
A good marriage requires choosing 
the needs of the other 
over my own needs and wants.
As Paul writes,
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, 
but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 
Let each of you look not to your own interests, 
but to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4). 

Love is not a feeling, 
but rather a commitment to choose the other. 
In Jesus Christ, 
you showed us love 
by choosing us, our well-being, our redemption. 
Teach us how to choose one another, 
how to be the love Paul describes:
"Love is patient; 
love is kind; 
love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. 
Love does not insist on its own way; 
it is not irritable or resentful;
 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 
It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Remind us, Lord, that others, 
especially young others, 
are watching us, 
learning from us. 
Help us model the kind of marriage and life 
you want for us. 

Lord, 
we ask for your help 
to make our marriages strong,
and we know you are able! 
Amen