March 2022 - Prayer matters

Courage … with joy

Paper mosaic (Photo: Irene Bom)

The writer to the Hebrews tells us that Jesus endured the cross, scorning its shame, “for the joy set before him”. (Hebrews 12:1b-2)

John Chrysostom, a great fourth-century preacher in Constantinople, also speaks of joy in connection with our suffering for Christ’s sake:

“When we suffer anything for Christ’s sake, we should do so not only with courage, but even with joy. If we have to go hungry, let us be glad as if we were at a banquet. If we are insulted, let us be exalted as though we had been showered with praises. If we lose all we possess, let us consider ourselves the gainers. If we provide for the poor, let us regard ourselves as the recipients. Do not think of the painful effort involved, but of the sweetness of the reward; and above all, remember that your struggles are for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

A prayer

Transform our memory, Lord, so that whenever we encounter suffering for your sake, we will recall all the saints who have gone before us whose courage and faith brought us this far. Amen.

from Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals by Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Enuma Okoro, p. 193

Wait … strong, courageous, stubborn

Whatever befall, I know this for sure:
      I shall see the goodness of the Lord
            in the land of the living.
So wait for the Lord;
      be strong, be courageous, be stubborn;
      but wait for the Lord.

excerpt from Psalm 27
from The Lincoln Psalter by the poet, Gordon Jackson

From the blog
Change from the inside out
Grow how?
Big strong tree

3 More prayers for courage

Here are 3 brief prayers for courage to aid you in your prayers as you bring your hopes and fears before God.

Note: I’ve called this post 3 More prayers for courage as I already had a post entitled 3 Prayers for courage, posted in September 2020 when the theme of the month was “Threshold”.

#1

“Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’
After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side.” (John 20:19-20)

Living God,
You appeared to your disciples in their hour of fear,
and offered them your peace to still their hearts.
May we open our arms
to be living hope in the world today,
bringing peace to those living in fear.
Give us courage to be bold in sharing what we believe;
may we hold firm to your promise of life and hope,
and strive for a new world,
free from poverty, injustice and conflict.

~ from the Monthly Prayers page of the Christian Aid website,
posted on re:worship

#2

Eternal God,
you call us to ventures
of which we cannot see the ending,
by paths as yet untrodden,
through perils unknown.
Give us faith
to go out with courage, not knowing
where we go but only that your hand
is leading us,
and your love supporting us.

~ written by Eric Milner White,
posted on Christine Jerrett’s blog

#3

(inspired by Luke 24:13-35)

O God, you come to us in unexpected places:
in isolation, behind closed doors;
on dusty roads, as we go from place to place;
in video chats with friends and telephone conversations with loved ones.
You come bringing us peace, where there is no peace.
You come bringing us hope when everything seems hopeless.
You come bringing us courage when we are afraid.
Come and be among us now, in every place where we are.
Open our eyes to see you, open our hearts to know you.
In the name of the Risen Christ we pray.
Amen

~ submitted by Ann Harbridge,
posted on re:worship

From the blog
Wilderness encouragement
3 Prayers for refugees
Theme: Still small voice [prayer sheet]

For courage and grace

A bold prayer for this first week in Lent.

A prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
who for our sake drew to yourself the world’s hate,
grant us the courage to be vulnerable,
grace to expose ourselves to the furies without
and the furies within;
and in our frailty send your holy angels
to minister to us.

~ written by Richard Harries
from The Book of a Thousand Prayers by Angela Ashwin, #770