Day 177 | Saturday, 12 September 2020

Day 177 - Audio Version

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Day 177  |  Saturday,  12  September  2020

I cannot help but continue to reflect on the events of September 11, 2001.  The acts of terrorism changed our country from what we had always known to some new realities.  It is hard to believe that it has been 19 years.  I remember just where I was and what I was doing and then what I did the rest of that day and week.  This was a crisis and a disaster.

COVID-19 is something that has also changed our country and the world.  What we understood to be normal lives has been changed.  We want to go back to normal but also know that our future will be a different normal.  A virus has changed us in ways we did not anticipate.  We are over 192,000 deaths in the US alone.  I believe this is a crisis and a disaster that will be with us for some time.
I am also thinking about the people in the far western states dealing with disastrous wildfires.  The landscapes, homes, lives there are being changed forever.  I pray for the firefighters, forest rangers, homeowners, support staff; national guard members; government officials; wildlife personnel; first responders and everyone else dealing with these fires.  Yes, another crisis and disaster.  Lives have been changed and lost.

Hurricane season has already caused disruption in parts of our country leaving a trail of devastation, changing lives and communities.
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Admittedly, we can easily say that there are other types of crisis and disasters in our country at the present time.  What are we going to do?  Let me offer a prayer for disaster followed by a version of Psalm 23 and The Lord’s Prayer.

A Prayer for Disaster:
“God, our hope and trust are in you. We have nowhere else to turn. Be for us an anchor in the chaos. Hold out your hand so that we can find you and know which way to turn next.  Oh God, how could this happen to us? Grant us the faith to find you in the midst of it, even in our questions, our disbelief.  We raise to you our concerns in this moment.  Hear our prayers, and grant us and those around us safety, we pray. Amen.”

Psalm 23
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures:  he leads me beside the still waters.  He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

      Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.”  Amen

Today: Pray for those dealing with crisis and disasters.