( I think I will try more prayer)

Dear God….there is so much to carry.  I know others have more burdens, or heavier ones.  It’s just that I have seen so much this week, and heard so much that ought not be.   Some of the things I’ve seen or been brought into have no place in our society if it is to maintain its goodness and prosperity.  Other things have no place in the hearts of your church.  You know what they are, and I would not need to describe them to you, but I want others to know and pray.  I make my prayer to you public today.

God, this week I saw the brokenness of substance abuse.  I saw a life ripped apart.  How do we tell people that these behaviors don’t lead to good things?  How can we convince others to stay away, when they have not seen the ugliness, been in the hospital ER, seen the marriages failed and the children torn, wages gone and opportunity vanished?  How do we get them to believe what we say?

Father, this week I saw the danger of the ignorance of scripture.  I fear for your church and its future. I know you hold it and us in the palm of your hand and what you want to carry on certainly will, but what about those taken away from truth by not knowing or by being taught by someone that is agenda driven to change such simple statements?  Please reveal truth to them, and somehow remind those that teach that “it would be better to have a millstone tossed around the neck and tossed into the depths of the sea than to be one that caused young people to stumble.” (Matthew 18:6-7)

Lord, you have constantly showed us that you are a God of inclusion.  As you know, this week I was brought into consultation with a family on the ugliness of exclusion.  You know what happens all too often with young people, but it also happens with those that ought to know better by a time of maturity of age.  They hurt, Father.   Please help those of us that teach, counsel, parent, and lead in any way in our homes, schools, and community to teach kindness.  Please have our parents teach and remind that we have no right to be included by you, but you do.  Remind the church that exclusion is the picture of Satan.

God, there have been disheartening things week in attempting to be a source of betterment.  Help those of us that try to help to remember to take it to you, because you can handle all things.  Thank you for being of God of inclusion when it comes to listening as we struggle to explain our thoughts to you. Thank you for including your Spirit in our prayers so we might be understood.  Please bless the hurting and grant them your strength.

Andy