Saturday Prayer

Dear God,
This morning, I want to offer my gratitude. I want to say thank you for the ways in which people are helping each other out under the guise of "just doing my job." I am grateful for the ways in which systems work well and for the ways in which people are and have been prepared to handle the two storms that have hit the east coast. I am grateful for those who work long hours and eat meals prepared by the Red Cross and FEMA. Their lives have been turned upside down as well but they are giving their all for the sake of others. I guess you know a little something about that. I mean, we would all pitch in to help someone we know. We might even give an extra dollar here and there at the grocery store to help the food bank or to put our name on a shoe or balloon for some disease. But what I am seeing firsthand is a remarkable display of competence and ability in the midst of disaster. I have the luxury of looking on from the comfort of my living room. I get to simply send and respond to text messages and wait for a chance to do more than just encourage the heroes. I get to decide whether I have the energy to do one more thing for someone else in an already overcrowded day of service. They are on the job every day until the job is done and although they may get paid for their work, the money does not compensate adequately for their heart's offering.

These folks are heroes in my eyes. I pray that you would keep them healthy as they move into dangerous and hazardous spaces. I pray for their safety as they move to reconstruct homes and structures. I pray that their brief rest - often on cots and trailers - would be deeply restorative. I pray that their families would not feel the loss of their presence but would feel honored to share their hero with those who are in need. I pray that (as you promised) you would keep their minds in perfect peace. I can't imagine staring at disaster every day. I can't imagine having to stare at chaos and know that it is my responsibility to bring order to it again. I pray for those charged with administrative tasks - that every dollar be properly accounted for and that people would be fairly compensated. I pray that cracks in systems would be sealed so that nothing and no one would fall through. I pray that egos would be put aside and that loving hearts, able bodies and competent minds would be engaged. I pray that those at the mercy of the generosity of others would find perfect peace. I pray that those who need medication would have what they need. I pray for those with mental illnesses - diagnosed and undiagnosed. I pray that those with a heart to help would have the competence to refer out when it's out of our hands. I pray for professionals to be professional - competent and compassionate.

I pray for those who give and pray for those who receive. I pray that those of us who know, love and trust you would act like it...in whatever form that may take. I pray that we would keep the focus on those who need and not on how wonderful we are for doing that which you have called us to in the first place. I'm thanking you in this moment for watching over all of us. I'm thanking you for keeping us. I'm thanking you right now for just hearing the cries of your people. I'm thanking you in advance for whatever good will come from this. I'm thanking you for all of the new that will come now that the old has been washed away. I'm thanking you for just being a big enough God...

Thank you for the call to tikkun olam.
Thank you...
Thank you...
Thank you...