Yet Again in War

Father, 

Thank you for the gift of today. Thank you for the mercy, grace, and tangible love you offer us every second of the day. Thank you for the air that fills our lungs. Thank you for the food, water, and sustenance you have provided. Thank you for the facilities where we can worship in safety and peace. Thank you for the joy of seeing people we love, who love you and delight in worshipping you, Jesus. Thank you for the peace and rest that accompany your presence. Thank you for being you.

Lord, we come before you mindful of the world we live in. We hear the news. We read the headlines. We are not ignorant of the tragedies and struggles that surround us. Wars rage. Dangers unfold continually. There is brutality, hatred, and death. Our hearts break as we have to hold, yet again, the complicated. We lament and grieve the brokenness of this world. We grieve the hardness of our hearts, which too easily accompanies our fear, anger, and sorrow. 

Here is what we know: We detest death. We loathe sin. We despise that which harms the vulnerable, innocent, and weak. 

We also know that you reign and are sovereign over the complicated and nuanced. You know the number of stars in the sky and each grain of sand. You know the hair on every single head that ever was, is, and will be. You are sovereign over those we call enemies and those we call friends. You are the Prince of Peace who sees all conflicts and tragedies. You grieve as we grieve, and love is greater than our collective love. 

Lord Jesus, we wait for your return.

As we wait, please reorient our hearts to yours. Renew and refresh our minds. Bring peace and let your love wash over us. 

In deep trust, we pray for those in our family and among our friends who may be physically near the conflicts. We pray for our missionaries and their families. We pray for pastors and our sibling congregations around the world. We pray for the nations that woke up, yet again, in war. Our hearts break.

We now pause in our communal prayer to bring before you that which we carry. Lord Jesus, we entrust it all to you.

Amen.