Tag: distressing times

A Prayer inspired by the prophet Haggai

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

LORD of hosts,
Almighty King of all the earth,
You are worthy of all our praise
and deserve the best of what we have to offer.

Help us to give careful thought to our ways,
that we may not be found wanting
in presenting all of who we are
and all of what we have to You.

In Haggai’s day, You called the people to rebuild Your house,
strengthening them to accomplish the task by Your grace.
In our day, help us to hear Your calling for the church,
and strengthen us to accomplish that calling by Your grace.

May no opposition overcome us
and no circumstances dissuade us
from giving ourselves fully to You
and Your mission upon earth.

All this we pray, through Jesus Christ,
to whom, with You and the Holy Spirit
be all honor and glory, now and forever.
Amen.

A Prayer inspired by the prophet Zephaniah

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

Sovereign LORD,
we know that a time is coming,
the great day of the LORD,
when You will stretch out Your hand
to judge the nations of the earth
and sweep away everything
from the face of the earth.

We tremble before You, LORD,
for who can truly stand in that day?
We seek You, LORD our God,
we seek righteousness and we seek humility
that You might shelter us on that day,
and save a remnant for Your name.

In this present day, we also tremble
over the distress that has come upon us.
Our strength is demolished
and the streets are deserted.

But You, LORD our God, are with us;
a Mighty Warrior who saves us.
Show forth Your great delight in us,
and in Your love rejoice over us with singing.
Remove from us the grief of our losses
and restore our fortunes before our very eyes.

All this we pray, through Jesus Christ,
to whom, with You and the Holy Spirit
be all honor and glory, now and forever.
Amen.

A Prayer for Distressing Times inspired by the prophet Habakkuk

Matt EricksonLeave a comment

LORD God, you are our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in times of trouble.
In these days, we are deeply aware
of just how greatly we need Your help.

We see the pestilence that stalks at night
and the plague that destroys at midday.
Like Habakkuk, we say to you,
“How long, Lord, must we call for help?”

Be our refuge in the gathering trouble;
be our strength amidst feeble bodies.
Teach us to dwell in the shelter of Your presence,
and to rest in the shadow of Your might.

And even if the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vine,
grant us, God our Savior, great joy in You
as we tread upon the heights by Your power at work within us.

All this we pray, through Jesus Christ,
to whom, with You and the Holy Spirit
be all honor and glory, now and forever.
Amen.