Learning to Pray

           Sometimes we need someone to show us how to pray. Someone who can say what we are thinking when we cannot put our jumbled thoughts into words.   This morning, we opened up the daily prayer from our church, Peachtree Road Methodist, here in Atlanta. Rev. Darren Hensley teaches us to pray. Thank you, Darren.

Eternal and Merciful God,

Easter has come and gone, and for many, it’s beginning to set in that this time of pandemic is more a marathon than a sprint. We feel unsettled and anxious as old routines and daily rhythms have been disrupted and displaced by new ones. Yet, familiar patterns remain at hand—from daily prayer and reading scripture, to completing ordinary tasks, to moments with family. And new discoveries present themselves—from sharing three meals together to finding time to reconnect with old friends or long-­forgotten memories. Most of us are still sheltering in our homes—yet we are not stuck, but staying safe. Help us to be patient. May we be grateful for the blessings of life, for food to eat, for health, for warmth, for loved ones.

Let us remember and pray for individuals unable to be at home during these days—the sick and suffering and those persons caring for them, scientists and doctors hard at work seeking treatment therapies and a vaccine, and people who are simply going to their jobs every day serving in our communities. We pray for individuals feeling sad, alone, or overwhelmed—and we pray for the persons who reach out to them offering words and gestures of reassurance, compassion, and hope—counselors, ministers, teachers, and friends. Thank You for the people who help us, and may we, in turn, be a blessing unto others.

We pray for young people preparing to graduate whose dreams of milestones and jobs have been crushed. For persons who have lost employment and wonder how they will pay their bills. For individuals struggling to obtain food for themselves and their families. For farmers unable to harvest. We pray for the children.

O God, looking into an uncertain future, many of us feel afraid. But, the world is more than we know. Having just passed by the foot of the Cross, we believe that Your Son took on the sorrows, fear, and despair of the world. For You are ever in the midst of life in its fullness, and through Jesus’ death and resurrection You offer us new life, eternal life, even now. The good news resonates around us: “He is risen!”

This time has reminded us how fragile life can be—yet how precious and important we are, for Your love endures. O God, open our hearts so that we may be aware of Your presence. Let us learn anew, to appreciate, to notice what truly matters. Let us know empathy, encouragement, and purpose, for the gift of resurrection carries with it a mission to share Your message of love. As empowered by the Holy Spirit, let us embrace this moment, marshal our resources, and meet the challenges we face. One day, this pandemic will subside, and when we look back on this time we will know You have been where You always are and will be—for as Jesus said, I am with you even unto the end of time.

It is in the name of our risen and living Lord and Savior we pray, Amen.