Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come,
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
(Matthew 6:9-13)

Lately I have been comparing my prayers to the prayer template Jesus gave his disciples. I’ve noticed that I devote big portions of my prayers to telling God exactly how I would like Him to solve the problems I and my dear ones face so we can live happily ever after. Cause this to happen and that to come about, Lord, so that we have a good outcome (as I define it). Are your prayers like mine? Just how do they fit into the pattern of the Lord’s Prayer?
 
     I am concluding that my micromanaging prayers need to progress to, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. It is certainly true that our Father welcomes us to pour out our hearts’ desires to Him. But perhaps I should be spending more of my prayer time wrestling with what God’s will in the troubling situation might be – all the options, not just the one I desire – and preparing myself to humbly accept His will and ungrudgingly submit to it. This is not a pessimistic view but rather a God-centric view that reminds me:  whatever His will turns out to be in the particular situation, He is good and He acts with good purposes. 
 
     This topic has been very much on my mind in recent weeks as my month-old grandson, Alasdair, fights for his life at CHOC. I am trying to stop telling God what to do and instead asking Him to prepare us for whatever He wills. Join me.
 
Here is additional material for prayer this week:
 
1.  Greg Hodgson was rushed to the hospital last Thursday after the power pack for his artificial heart – and the backup power pack – failed. A large blood clot in his lung was the problem, not a mechanical problem with the equipment. The race to the hospital was a terrifying experience for Greg and his parents, and Greg’s situation is still critical. Pray for the doctors as they try to dissolve the blood clot with medications. Ask the Lord to be tangibly present with Greg and his family, surrounding them with His love and assurance.
 
2.  Where was God on September 11 fifteen years ago? On His throne, sovereign eternally! As Pastor Todd suggested yesterday, prayfully read Psalm 46 in remembrance of that day. Pray for the tens of thousands of people who were directly affected on that terrible day. Ask the Lord to restrain and judge the evil that was behind the attack and that is still afoot in the world.
 
3.  Deni Martin requests prayer for her sister-in-law, Sharon, and her husband, Joe, as they contend with a tumor on Sharon’s hip bone. They are not believers. Deni asks that we pray for wisdom for the medical team and salvation for Sharon and Joe. Also ask the Lord to show Deni how she can be a comfort and help to them.
 
4.  Lift up the leaders of our small groups, which are starting soon. Ask the Lord to give them His vision and goals for their groups this year. Ask Him to guide them as they firm up plans for Bible study and to give them fresh, creative ideas for times of sharing and prayer. 
 
5.  It was wonderful to see a very large group of junior high and high school studentsparticipating in the first half of the special service of worship and prayer last Wednesday. After they were excused to their youth groups, the adults spent time praying for them. Let’s continue this week. Nearly two years ago, I devoted a special edition of the prayer blog to prayer requests shared with me by our high schoolers. I think it is worth retrieving that blog post (dated November 17, 2014) and praying through their requests again. If you don’t have it and want it, please e-mail me.
 
6.  At the special service last week, we prayed over lots of topics related to our Calvary family. One that caught my attention was titled gift-empowered service. Pray for people among us who either don’t know what their gifts are or are not using them to serve the body.
 
7.  Pray Isaiah 26:8 (and notice that the pronouns are plural!):  Yes, LORD, walking in the way of Your laws, we wait for You. Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.

In Christ,
Carol Gilbert
Prayer Chair
Calvary Community Church of Brea