Wonderings--May 5

I just returned from the York County National Day of Prayer service. The members of the Western York Ministerial Association gathered, along with a crowd of civic leaders, to pray for God's presence and blessing to be upon us, our families, our nation, and our world. 

Truth be told, I was excited for the invitation to participate in the service. I sat there looking forward to 'my turn' in the liturgy. Yet there was something else in the back of my mind,  a feeling, that I could not shake as I drove to York and parked in the civic lot. . . 

As I normally prefer, I arrived early and waited for others to arrive.  While I was waiting, I took out one of my notebooks, the one that stays in the truck for such moments, and began to jot down some thoughts about my assigned prayer. 

My topic was: Peace. 

Sitting in the warmth of the late morning, alone in my truck, I felt something overwhelming beginning to settle inside my mind. Learning into that 'overwhelming-ness' I waited for God to help me to see and understand this feeling. . . It was then that I realized that any prayer that I might offer for peace would be unlikely to include every needed area in life for peace. I could do my best and yet my best would still fall short of the need for peace in Creation.  

I could pray for the end of the war in Ukraine and other places . . . and I did.

Prayers could be offered to end terroristic actions around the world. . . again they were. 

I could pray for the employment peace for those deal with it. . . and I did.

I could ask God to be with those who suffer physically. . . which I again did.

Prayer was offered for those suffering mental anguish and those who inflict that anguish upon others. 

A lot of words were shared from my heart about the need of peace, and yet I felt like I missed so much. Even the space where I built in room to silently pray felt inadequate. How was I going to end this prayer and find something meaningful to tie the service together (I was the final prayer in the service)? 

Perhaps, in spite of my best efforts, the most effective way to reach out to God in these moments is just one of honesty and submission. Perhaps when I no longer had the words the best choice that I could make involved remembering that the Holy Spirit prays for and with us when we do not have the words. 

As I drove back to the office, I thought about this idea. I wondered what would happen to our faith journeys and devotional times if we stopped trying to hard and just realized that God is already in the room or space with us? I wonder what our prayer life would become if when the moment arises we were still with God?

Blessings

Rev. Derek