Hello everyone,
Christine and I went into voluntary isolation on the 16th March. This past weekend took us over 40 days and nights.
Jesus faced his 40 days and nights wilderness period alone and overcame by giving every trial he faced to his Father in Heaven.
We still can’t believe it, that our world turned on its head so quickly, so unexpectedly.
One moment, everything normal, proceeding much as it had always done before, and the next, chaos and confusion, everything overturned in an instant – institutions teetering on the brink, certainties crumbling into dust, lives descending into mayhem.
People have reached the stage where they are asking when will it end, when will this nightmare be over?
We were told things would get worse before they could get better; that the death toll would rise and the number of those infected continue to climb, despite every measure being taken to prevent it. We are promised also that, eventually, this disease will peak, and that we can then slowly start picking up the pieces of our lives again.
As Christians we have been praying and showing compassion both in word and deed for family, friends and neighbours. We give thanks to God for the support Christine and I have received.
We thank God for the number of you joining with us at 11.00am each day. (or anytime for those who find 11am not possible.) The temptation is to feel that our prayers are inadequate. So we share with you another prayer for the coming week. You might like to add this prayer to the others you received.
When our prayers feel so inadequate
They feel so inadequate, our prayers, Lord, so small a response to so great a crisis. Even if we could find the words we seek to sum up our concern, express our fears, articulate our needs and entrust into your care the many we know to be at risk, even then, our efforts would seem lacking.
But we can’t get anywhere near that, our entreaties to you being muddled, halting, confused, disjointed. We do not know what to say or how to say it; what to pray or how to pray it, and we are left feeling we have failed ourselves, you and others.
Do not let that deter us, Lord. Teach us that you heed not only the words of our lips but also the thoughts of the heart, prayer not being an exam we must pass but an opportunity to embrace.
Help us, then, simply to share with you, as best we can, what we are feeling, so committing ourselves, our loved ones, and the world beyond, sincerely into your keeping. Amen.
Keep Safe. Keep praying and like Jesus taking all your requests to God our Father.
Peter
