A PRAYER FOR TODAY, JANUARY 20, 2025

A PRAYER FOR TODAY, JANUARY 20, 2025:

LORD, YOUR WORD REMINDS US OF YOUR GREATNESS AND POWER AND GLORY, YOUR MAJESTY AND SPLENDOR. YOU ARE THE GOD OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE AND ARE HEAD OVER ALL. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ANYTHING WE HAVE COMES FROM YOU. WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR ANOTHER DAY—ANOTHER DAY OF LIFE, ANOTHER DAY TO WORSHIP YOU, ANOTHER DAY TO LIVE AS YOUR UNIFIED BODY, YOUR PEOPLE. [1 CHRONICLES 29:11-14] FATHER, GOD, WE PAUSE FOR A MOMENT TO SIT IN AWE AND WONDER OF YOU. [PAUSE]

AS WE CONTINUE IN PRAYER, WE CONFESS OUR ONGOING NEED FOR YOU. WE CALL UPON YOU TO BRING LASTING PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST…TO CAUSE WARS ACROSS THE GLOBE TO CEASE…TO USE YOUR PEOPLE HERE AND ABROAD TO BE AMBASSADORS AND AGENTS OF RECONCILIATION. LORD, HAVE MERCY. HELP US TO KNOW HOW TO PRAY AND HOW TO ACT.

FOR THOSE DISPLACED BY WILDFIRES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA—PROVIDE FOR THEM, COMFORT THEM, GRANT THEM STRENGTH FOR THE LONG PROCESS OF RECOVERY. FOR THOSE CONTINUING THE FIGHT TO PUT OUT THOSE FIRES—BE THEIR STRENGTH AND THEIR SHIELD AND PROTECTOR.    FOR ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED—BE THEIR SOURCE OF LIFE AND HOLY RESILIENCE. LORD, HAVE MERCY. HELP US TO KNOW HOW TO PRAY AND HOW TO ACT.

FOR THIS FRIGID WEATHER ALL OVER OUR NATION—PROVIDE SHELTER AND WARMTH ESPECIALLY TO THOSE LACKING RESOURCES—PROTECT LIFE AND HEALTH AND PROPERTY. FOR FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES WHO ARE SUFFERING—WORK YOUR MIRACLES IN AND AROUND THEM TO PROVIDE GOOD CARE AND RELIEF AND INTERVENTION.

TODAY, WE ALSO PRAY FOR ALL OF OUR NATION’S LEADERS—GIVE THEM YOUR WISDOM, YOUR DISCERNMENT, YOUR HEART, AND YOUR VISION.    AS TODAY MARKS INAUGURATION DAY AND MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY, DEEPEN OUR FAITH, OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU…AND AS YOUR WORD SAYS--HELP US AND OUR LEADERS WALK IN THE WAY OF LOVE, JUSTICE, AND HUMILITY. [MICAH 6:8]

FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT, BLESS US AS WE SEEK YOUR FACE IN THIS MOMENT.    LORD, WE ADMIT WE DON’T ALWAYS KNOW OR EVEN SEE WHAT YOU’RE DOING. BUT, WE DO KNOW THAT YOU ARE FAITHFUL, THAT YOU BRING YOUR KINGDOM HERE. TRANSFORM US AS YOUR PEOPLE—MARK US—MAKE US LIKE YOU—SO THAT THE WORLD KNOWS YOUR HEART AND YOUR FACE AND YOUR FORGIVENESS.

AND, WE CONCLUDE WITH THE PRAYER THAT SEEMS TO COVER ALL THINGS:

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 DEBTS, AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS. LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL. FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY, FOREVER. AMEN.

 Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, Your Unique Design Class Guide, Your Unique Design Facilitator Guide, DIOS. DONES. TÚ.: Tu llamado y diseño único (Spanish Edition), and Gifts-Calling-Purpose blog, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with hundreds of faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and executive leaders in a diversity of fields for four decades. She currently serves as Catalyst for Equipping at her church. 

Photo © Shirley Giles Davis.  

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