×

A Prayer in Praise of God’s Constant Care

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Pet. 5:7
May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Psalm 119:76 
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. Jn. 14:27
     Dear Heavenly Father, it’s incredibly comforting to begin this day remembering how much you care for us—your beloved children. This is good news is always great news, but there are some days when it seems especially so. Today we come to your kind heart and broad shoulders with expedience, gratitude and anticipation. With open hands, we cast our cares upon you, gracious Father.
    Please shoulder the burdens we carry for the people we love—dear friends and family members we so wish we could change, free, protect or heal. Sometimes we foolishly think if you’d only let us be the fourth member of the Trinity for fifteen minutes, we could do a lot of good in the lives of a lot of people. What presumption, arrogance and lack of trust in you. You haven’t called us to fix anyone, but to love everyone as Jesus loves us. You are God and we are so very not.
     Please receive our anxieties about the upcoming election, steroid-shot induced meningitis, a still fragile economy and the ongoing threat of terrorist activity. Let us really, really believe you’re involved in the lives of our children, even when we see little evidence. Expel the fears that set up residence in our hearts with a fresh influx of Jesus’ perfect love.
     Father, we cannot add one minute to our lives through worry. In fact, we can take a lot away from our lives through trying to carry burdens you alone can carry. Turn our “What if’s?” into “Now that’s”—now that Jesus has risen from the dead, everything has changed. Help us remember that the throne of heaven is well occupied. You are working all things together after the counsel of your will.
     You’ve numbered our hairs and our days. You’ve got the hearts of every king in your hand. Nothing catches you off guard or by surprise. There are no wrinkles in your brow and there’s no second-guessing in your courts. You don’t always do what we want, but you always do what we we’d ask, if we only knew better. You give and you take away—blessed be your name, O Lord.
     Whenever we’re tempted to doubt your burden-bearing care, may Jesus’ cross loom large in our gaze. For it was there, Father, where you bore the greatest of all our burdens—our sin, and demonstrated the incomparable extent of your care. So very Amen pray in Jesus’ matchless and merciful name.

LOAD MORE
Loading