God Is Good. Let's Tell the World.

May God be gracious to us and bless us 

     and make his face shine on us

Selah

so that your ways may be known on earth, 

     your salvation among all nations. 

May the peoples praise you, God; 

     may all the peoples praise you. 

(Psalm 67:1-3)

We speak of these days as a crisis, O God.

And, well, it is true, 

for the burdens and troubles 

of the people of the world is, indeed, very great.

We are living in anxious times,

filled with worry, and even fear.

Bless us, O Lord. 

Bless even us, and deliver us, we pray.

But why should we always dwell upon

the troubles and worries?

Can we not also have hope?

Can we not also see these times

as an opportunity to make known your glory?

For as dark as the days may be, O God,

your light always shines brighter.

As great as our troubles may be,

your goodness is far more abundant.

Selah

As we experience your blessings and mercy

during the pandemic –

and we surely will, for you are so good – 

then we will bear witness to your loving kindness.

Blessed, to be a blessing,

as the saying goes.

Let it apply to us.

Bless us, indeed – that is our prayer.

But bless us, so that we can make known 

your goodness and faithfulness.

Bless us, and send us as your ambassadors,

your Kingdom representatives.

Use us, O God, as instruments

by which you: 

  

  heal the broken hearts,

    calm the anxious spirit,

      comfort those who mourn,

        assure the lonely of your presence,

      offer relief to the poor,

    encourage those who are downcast,

  deliver hope to those who despair.

Bless us, O Lord.

Bless us, so that we may make known

your salvation and your grace

unto all the world.

Selah

For this we know: 

"How are they to call on one in whom

they have not believed? And how are they

to believe in one of whom they have

never heard? And how are they to hear

without someone to proclaim him? And how 

are they to proclaim him unless they are sent?

As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of

those who bring good news!’”*

Let it be us, O God.

Let it be us – your people, your Church – 

who have the beautiful feet which

bring good news 

into this crisis.

We will shine your light, O Lord,

and make known your goodness and mercy.

Your steadfast love compels us.

May the peoples praise you, God;

may ALL the peoples praise you.

Amen.

And Amen.

* Romans 10:14-16a

During the season of Lent, I am "Praying with David," using prayers from the psalms as inspiration for personal prayers.

Teach Me to Look Back, Lord

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

     surely I have a delightful inheritance.

(Psalm 16:6)

Teach me to look backwards, O Lord.

Teach me to look back at my life 

as I have lived it thus far.

I don’t want to relive the “good old days;”

I’m not looking for a “do-over”

for the mistakes I have made;

I don’t long for happier times.

That’s not why I want for you to

teach me to look backwards, O God.

Teach me to look backwards,

so I can see how you have blessed me;

teach me to look backwards,

so I can see your providential hand

upon all my days.

If I look back at my life, O God,

surely I will see that 

the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.

If I look back at my life, O God,

surely I will see your love in more abundance

than I ever realized.

Hindsight is twenty-twenty, or so they say.

Give me eyes to see

how you have blessed me beyond measure,

and how you have brought me to today.

Teach me to look backwards, O God,

so I can live today with gratitude,

and so I may have hope for tomorrow

and all the tomorrows thereafter.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

surely I have a delightful inheritance.

Teach me to look backwards, O God,

that I may praise you all of my days.

Through Christ, my Lord. Amen.

During the season of Lent I am “praying with David,” using prayers found in the psalms as inspiration for personal prayers.