Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ at Pax Pres, and to all people,
This coming weekend marks the one-year anniversary of virtually everything in the United States shutting down due to the coronavirus pandemic. This prayer, with a lot of references to Psalm 90, marks that occasion.
Humbly in Christ,
Pastor Matt
Almighty God, a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by. (Ps. 90:4) To you, God, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. (2 Pet. 3:8) Hear our prayer and grant us your perspective on what feels to us like the eternity that has unfolded since March of last year.
Before the mountains were born, before you brought forth the whole world, long before the year 2020 unfolded across this planet, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Ps 90:2) You, Jesus, are the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). These truths are made plain in your Word, but in our despair and doubt, we struggle to hold onto them in the face of untold devastation and uncertainty. Grant us faith to see your constancy even in the midst of the turmoil of the last 365+ days.
God, we give you thanks for the people across all professions, industries, and walks of life whom you have given incredible strength to lead us through the last twelve months. We give you thanks for healthcare workers of every specialty and for first responders who are still on the front lines of protecting us and our communities. We give you thanks for school teachers and administrators who have faced unprecedented daily pressure regarding plans and decisions since last year’s shutdown. We give you thanks for business owners whose lives have been upended since last year, and yet who have sought to be as resilient as they can be in our economic chaos. We give you thanks for unsung, anonymous individuals who have tried to keep our spirits hopeful and encouraged in the midst of uncertainty and despair. For all these people and so many more, we give you thanks: we would not have lasted the year without the resilience, creative leadership, and skills they each have offered in this pandemic.
God, we also grieve every death wrought by the pandemic. You turn people back to dust, saying “Return to dust, you mortals.” (Ps. 90:3) Children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins, co-workers, neighbors, friends, teachers, nurses and caregivers … we have said painful goodbyes to so many people we cherish since March of last year. Help us to find our peace and hope in you, Jesus, our eternal dwelling place (Ps. 90:1), not just in hopes that the year ahead will get better. Jesus, you conquered the grave — grant us the comfort and hope of your resurrection beyond any earthly hope we try to conjure up. Continue to minister the comfort of your Spirit to those grieving.
This, God, is our prayer, exactly as the psalmist prayed centuries ago: Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds, and may the salvation offered in Jesus alone, be shown to your servants and to this world. (Ps. 90:13-16) God, commit us anew to the work of restoration, rebuilding, healing, forgiveness, and more. By your grace, may we arrive at March 2022 and be able to see evidence of your redeeming work in us and through us. Lest we get proud of ourselves for a self-made resilience in the year ahead, may you, God, be the one who establishes the work of our hands. (Ps. 90:17) Through the finished, atoning work of Christ we pray all this. Amen.
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