When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:19
Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
Lord Jesus, something’s afoot when personalities on the Weather Channel become household names to us. Hurricane Dorian is stirring up our meteorological sensitivities, and a whole bevy of emotions. We especially pray this morning for those who live in the Bahamas and along the Eastern US coastlines.
We own our fears, state our worries, and run to you in this angst-producing hurricane season. Thank you for promising to catch every care we cast in your direction. Thank you for bringing the consolation we need when anxiety weighs our hearts down. Some hurricanes happen in the environment; others happen in our homes, health, and hearts. Thank you for showing up in every storm, Jesus.
We know we don’t have to ask “Why?” big storms come to us—as though those in the cone of the hurricane are more deserving of major life-disruption than others. For you make your sun rise on the evil and on the good, and you send rain on the just and on the unjust (Matt. 5:45).
Jesus, as long as you come to us in the storm, we can “weather” most anything. Though hurricanes are quite capable of separating us from things we love (houses and stuff, plans and dreams), nothing can separate us from your love. May this become profoundly real and palpably sweet the rest of our days in this world.
We pray for protection for those receiving the greatest impact from the storm (the Bahamas), and we pray for first responders. Loss of property is one thing, loss of life quite another. May neighbor-love be on glorious display—transcending all political, racial, and economic dividers. Rescue us, Jesus, rescue us if not from storms, by storms.
May we be joyful servants, mercy conduits, and grace dispensers in the coming days and weeks. So very Amen we pray, in your great and gracious name.