A Sunday Morning Prayer

Lord, do I know how to pray? Are these thoughts just me talking to me? I hope not. Enough of that in the paths of life. And so I say again, Lord, I believe in you. I believe you are there, that you care, that you hear me. I am comforted this morning to believe that years from now I will look back and know that you led and loved and cared in a thousand ways I could not see at the time. As you led my great-great-grandparents from New York to Kansas and helped them help in founding a school dedicated to your love and glory, so in your loving-kindness you show grace and favor in my life today. Some of this I can see, Lord. I rejoice to believe that most of the grandeur of your work in this world is yet unseen. And so goes the life of faith -- believing you are at work when we cannot see it.

Is this melancholy? I do not think so, Lord. I look to you as all of your children do and I give happy praise for the life you have given and the simple joys of living in this majestic world. I give you praise for the wondrous gift of friendship, for the awe of family life and love, for the created wonder you gave. I know that in that created world there is an infinite (to us) world of beauty and blessing. How much more so in the world of relations and work and care you have planned for what we call eternity!

But as we say, there are no words, only wonder. One of your greater children gave us this reminder: "A comprehended God is not God." And countless others of your children have left us prayers that far surpass..... But what is that, self-worrying when I am trying, trying, to pray and humble myself before you on a Sunday morning?

I love you, Lord, though faltering and, well, embarrassingly human. I cannot but believe you love me even in this fallen humanness, and that you are working in countless unseen ways to redeem me and all of your Creation. Do I understand? I think I hear you laughing. Can I trust you? Can you handle my life and my eternal destiny and even the daily tasks and cares? Can I trust you with all of that?
I think I can, and with your help I do.

This is a prayer O Lord, a drawing near to you, asking you to draw near to me, knowing you care, knowing you are there, happy to know your love for me -- even me -- is intense and personal.

Someday we will know as we are known. And we will know in that personal, loving, hugging way that is so intertwined with what we call "head-knowledge" as to make the distinction sound silly. Enough of that inner talking, though -- I look to you O Lord and join my voice to millions of others who love and worship you today. I believe in you -- faltering and all that. I believe in you and humbly thank you for your daily care and love.