Listen and Living in Prayer
Last Saturday I, along with the four others from St. Luke’s, attended the virtual meeting of our South-Central Synod of Wisconsin as we met in Assembly. This was the fourth different day that had been chosen for this meeting. We were happy to finally be able to do this.
We did the business of the synod—passed a spending plan, elected individuals to various committees, heard about the work being done both in our synod and around the world, welcomed a new congregation into our midst, and, the crowning point of this gathering, elected our new bishop who will serve us faithfully for the next six years. We had important business to do for the health of all of us.
Each time it came to vote for one of the four candidates for bishop, the Assembly stopped for prayer. Lord Listen to Your Children Praying was then sung, a prayer was offered, and then it was sung again. Three different times we paused and heard this hymn verse sung twice each time. It was powerful, it was meaningful, it accomplished a sense of the holy as to what was about to take place, and it guided all of us in what we were about to do. It went with me as I returned home; it has been with me since that time.
Adopting a prayer stance for what is about to happen is not only good for our synod it good for you and me today. I do not know what you will be doing today, what you will be facing, or what challenges lay before you. The same with me. Whatever it is, wherever it takes us, beginning with prayer, especially a prayer for the sending of love, power and grace, will put us where we need to be and give us what we need to have.
Lord listen to your children praying
Lord send your Spirit in this place.
Lord listen to your children praying
Send us love, send us power, send us grace.
That love, power, and grace will be sufficient for you and for me today.
Gift us Lord with that which we cannot give to ourselves, in the measure that we need. Amen.
Pastor Jerry
