This post is part of my lenten series: 40 prayers for Russia's
orphans. Won't you join us in lifting up some of the most vulnerable
children in our world today?
Day 18: and lead us not into temptation
Dear God,
It took me a while to think about temptation in relationship to praying for orphans. What sin, exactly do we want you to protect us from?
I think it's despair.
You are a God of hope. You hold eternity in your hands. You give us life, everlasting. You are putting all things back together. Someday you will wipe away every tear and there will be no more sickness or pain or death. There won't be any orphans in Russia on the new earth. There won't be any orphans, anywhere.
But it is too easy to forget the future hope we have in you, when we're looking at the crisis we have in our hands right now. It's easy to despair.
It's awful for us to face our finiteness. When we want so badly to make a difference in the world, it is awful to face the truth that no matter how many prayers we pray, or how much money we raise, or how many children we welcome into our families... that there will always be orphans, suffering. It's when we put our hope in ourselves that we are tempted to despair.
So lead us not into temptation, Lord. Impress the great truth upon our hearts that you've got the whole world in your hands. Help us remember that someday the awful suffering we see on this earth will be a distant memory and only a speck on the infinite page of history. Someday we will come together, orphans and non-orphans alike and hold one another close while we sing of your unfailing love.
In Russia, the orphans are not okay today. But you're going to make it okay. You're going to make it beautiful, for your own glory. Help us find our hope in that.
Amen.
Day 18: and lead us not into temptation
Dear God,
It took me a while to think about temptation in relationship to praying for orphans. What sin, exactly do we want you to protect us from?
I think it's despair.
You are a God of hope. You hold eternity in your hands. You give us life, everlasting. You are putting all things back together. Someday you will wipe away every tear and there will be no more sickness or pain or death. There won't be any orphans in Russia on the new earth. There won't be any orphans, anywhere.
But it is too easy to forget the future hope we have in you, when we're looking at the crisis we have in our hands right now. It's easy to despair.
It's awful for us to face our finiteness. When we want so badly to make a difference in the world, it is awful to face the truth that no matter how many prayers we pray, or how much money we raise, or how many children we welcome into our families... that there will always be orphans, suffering. It's when we put our hope in ourselves that we are tempted to despair.
So lead us not into temptation, Lord. Impress the great truth upon our hearts that you've got the whole world in your hands. Help us remember that someday the awful suffering we see on this earth will be a distant memory and only a speck on the infinite page of history. Someday we will come together, orphans and non-orphans alike and hold one another close while we sing of your unfailing love.
In Russia, the orphans are not okay today. But you're going to make it okay. You're going to make it beautiful, for your own glory. Help us find our hope in that.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love reading your comments! Those left on posts older than 2 days will require moderation.