Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.“ Luke 5:15-20 (NLT)
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for the all-weather friends you’ve given us—those who’ve stood with us in every season of life, through thick and thin, rapture and rupture, merriment and misery. Today, we return the favor. Though there are many ways to be a good friend, certainly one of the most important ones is to bring our friends to you through prayer. Thankful we don’t have to lift tiles, we run now to your occupied throne of grace. Hear our pleas, O wonderful, merciful Savior.
Jesus, we bring you our friends who are suffering spiritual disconnect and crises of faith. Lord of the heart, please restore our friends to a real and robust relationship with yourself—to their first love with you, to a settled peace and certain hope that you are enough. And for our friends, who are strangers to the riches of the gospel, convert them Jesus—bring them to a saving knowledge of yourself, please, Lord.
Jesus, we also bring you our friends who are suffering in broken and messy relationships. Few things make us more vulnerable to emotional anguish, poor choices, and deep regrets. Send grace in the shape of the real issues; and send us, as good listeners and warriors of the heart.
Lastly, we bring you our friends suffering with physical illness and chronic pain. Jesus, there are some stories over which we wish we could be sovereign for a moment, and fix the seemingly unfixable. Have mercy, O Lord, have mercy. We unabashedly ask for healing, or sufficient grace until the Day of consummate healing.
For these friends, and others, Jesus, show us how to love well, stay present, and extend grace. So very Amen we pray, in your tender and triumphant name.