Gracious and Merciful God,

You are Awesome and Mighty! Thank you for a day filled with joy and challenges. The challenges were a reminder that You are a very present help in the time of trouble. The joy was confirmation that even though there is tribulation in this world, You have overcome the world. It is truly a gift and a blessing to have joy in the midst of trouble. Thank You for that gift.

Tonight, the world in which I live is filled with problems that won’t go away and honestly, seem to get worse instead of better. There are so many concerns to put on the altar. There are those dealing with grief, depression, separation and divorce, loneliness, abuse, illness and despair. Many families do not have enough food to eat. Some will be without shelter tonight when major storms are looming. Too many women and girls have been sold into slavery and have had their dreams snatched away. Countless people live in fear because of who they are, what they look like or what they believe. Our public officials seem to care more about poll numbers and politics than they do about the needs of the people they were elected to represent. We need You, oh, how we need You!

I pray that You, O Lord, will intervene in every situation. That You will move in a powerful way so that lives are changed and communities are transformed. Give us strength where we are weak and peace in those areas of our lives where anxiety has taken over. Help us to know what our role is in all these things and let us move forward boldly and courageously so that we can make a positive difference in the world.

Hear this prayer, O Lord, and attend to our cries. For Your mercy endures forever and Your truth endures to all generations.

In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.