Praying

Jesus prayed to the Father, “While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.” John 17:12-19

We don't talk about the devil or the evil one in this age unless we're making horror movies. And we try to find solutions and are frustrated, yet we rarely remember to pray util we're at the end of our rope. We do know there is great evil in the world and that some folks possess so much anger, hurt or greed in all its forms, they can't help but unleash pain and sorrow on others. May we seek God's word and God's truth, and God's solutions in these troubled times.

Creator God you have the Word of Life

you speak love and healing always

you restore us even as we are perishing

and find us places of rest and renewal.

Our world can be a place of great pain

where one group is the target of violence

where we feel trapped by all bigotry

and feel as if there is no way out of it.

Help us to turn to you as Jesus did

help us to lean on your loving arms

wrap us in your truth and your love

so we might rise us and serve you here. Amen.