He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Isa. 43:2 (NLT)
Lord Jesus, thank you for perpetually presiding at a throne of grace, and for doing so with burden-bearing love and all-welcoming kindness. When we feel like “fragile reeds” or “flickering candles,” you give rest in our weariness, not lectures on discipline. Thank you.
So, this Friday in May, we bring you our burdens and “blahs” generated from our relationships. No aspect of our lives is more delightful and depleting than the calling to love well. As parents and spouses, friends and workers, employers and neighbors, grant us thick skin and big hearts. May your relationship with us be our balm and ballast.
We bring you our fatigue born from stories of grief and loss, transitions and disappointments, care-giving and healing-waiting. We so wish we could fix some things and heal some loved ones. Jesus, help us accept the “okay-ness” of emotional and mental tiredness. And help us own physical limits and your Fatherly-sovereignty.
We bring you the weight we feel from having longer “to do” lists than hours in the day. Sometimes the sheer demanding-ness of life makes us want to buy a one-way ticket to faraway-ville. But since that would solve nothing, we ask for wisdom and grace to choose between the critical things and lesser things.
We bring you our propensity to forget the gospel everyday. Grant us the perspective of eternity, heart-centering peace, and joy-fueling hope. By the power of the Holy Spirit, keep us more aware of our beloved-ness-in-Christ than anything else.
Keep us from running to caffeine and sugar, whine and wine, the approval of people and the lust for more. We trust you for all the grace, encouragement, and strength we’ll need for today. So very Amen we pray, in your kind and trust-worthy name.