Sunday, November 4, 2018

A Prayer

Father,

There are many things about our lives that we really do enjoy. And we have You to thank for that. But there is one thing that we rarely enjoy. And that's change. It feels uncomfortable. It feels scary. There is so much that is unknown about life after the change. We just don't like it. And yet, so much of life is defined by change. How often we organize things with some goal in mind, and for one reason or another, we need to go to plan B. That sort of thing is a weekly or even daily occurrence about the relatively little things of life.

But then, there are the big changes, large life changes. Father, this is where it gets scary. Life was feeling fairly comfortable. We had our routine and understood how things worked. But then, You decide to change something. This isn't just a tweak of things according to plan B. This is big. This is when life gets uncomfortable. This is when it gets scary.

Father, this is when we need You to remind our hearts that, for one thing, we are Your servants. Life for us isn't about our goals. It's about Your goals. We are here so that Your kingdom would come. And sometimes - oftentimes - that means change. Help us, Father - help us to submit to Your will and to set aside what we want. Remind us, Father, that the goal is to hallow Your name.

At the same time, Father, we need You to remind us that we are Your children, and You are our Father. And as our Father, You are so very for us. So, whatever change You bring into our lives, in some way or other, it will result in good. Please make us believe this part of the Gospel as we face change.

And finally, Father, comfort our hearts with this thought: though we face lots of change, some of it quite large, there is something that will never change. And that is You. Your faithfulness to Your promises will never change. Your plan to fix the world will never change. Your love for us will never change. This is another part of the Gospel that we need to believe. And we look to You to make that happen also.

So, Father, as we live out our lives, day by day, grant that we will deal with change, both large and small, by trusting You, by believing with complete confidence that You really do know what You're doing with our lives. Grant that in this way we will live wisely and make You look as good as You really are. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.