Hear our cry, Lord we pray. Our faces down, our hands are raised.
You called us out, we turned away, we've turned away.
With ship-wrecked faith, idols rise. We do what is right, in our eyes.
Our children now, will pay the price. We need Your light, Lord, shine Your light.
All our hearts, all our strength, with all our minds, we're at Your fate.
May Your Kin-dom come, in our hearts and lives. Let Your Church arise, let Your Church arise!
If we ever needed You, Lord, it's now. Lord it's now.
We are desperate for Your hand. We're reachin' out, we're reachin' out.
We need You now . . . Revive us now . . . We need You now.
- "If We Ever Needed You" by Casting Crowns
Gracious God, One Who is known to us by many names, we come together as a global community of faith in prayer, seeking Your presence, Your direction and a new outpouring of Your Spirit upon all of us.
As a people struggling with the day to day realities in which we live, in the church and in the world . . .
we need You;
As the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches . . . we need You;
As Your Universal church, comprised of diverse faith expressions and spiritual communities . . .
we need You.
As a people of faith who still dare to believe You are still the God of hope, healing, mercy and
grace . . . we need You . . . now.
We need You, God, to reveal Yourself to us as Jehovah Rapha, our Healer. We hear over and over again, "hurting people, hurt people; healed people, heal people." We've learned "a disease hidden cannot be healed and a dis-ease hidden cannot be healed." Help us, Divine Healer, to be aware of the ongoing work we must do, individually and collectively, to become "wounded healers." We need to be the church the world desperately needs today. Jehovah Rapha, be the Healer we need for such a time as this.
We need You, God, to reveal Yourself to us as Jehovah Jireh, our Provider. Even with our greatest desires to trust You with all our heart and mind; the truth is, in our humanness, we default to that which we think will pave the way to greater experiences of life and living . . . many times at the expense and to the exclusion of others. As our Divine Provider, remind us God, we are here today as Metropolitan Community Churches because of one who had faith in You, trusted You, believed You, earnestly sought Your face and direction in birthing and leading this, Your church . . . and You provided. Renew and reignite in us a greater depth of faith, prayer and steadfastness, keeping our sights on You, Jehovah Jireh, our Provider.
We need You, God, to reveal Yourself to us as Jehovah Shamma, our Divine Presence. We acknowledge change and transition, regardless of what we want others to believe, is difficult for all of us; although we often want to say it is someone else who "doesn't do change well." By Your Presence God, help us to be honest with ourselves first, before we attempt to name a "truth" for someone else. By Your Presence God, help us to discover the power and freedom that comes from living honestly, authentically and transparently. By Your Presence God, help us to always keep in mind that the work and witness we do and create today is really not for us; it is providing an example and paving the way for those who will follow after us. By Your Presence God, remind us this spiritual quest You have invited us to be a part of with You, is not about us and is not about others . . . it is all about the Divine purposes and plans You've created for us all. Jehovah Shamma, if we ever needed You to be our Divine Presence . . . we need You now.
YHWH, Who is known to us by many names and revealed to us in many diverse ways, in these difficult and challenging times in which we find ourselves, as a people of faith . . . regardless of our faith stream, theological understanding(s) or spiritual path(s) . . . remind us again we are all created in Your Divine Image, crafted for Your perfect plan for all of Your people . . . a perfect Divine plan rooted in unconditional love, unity, harmony, respect, inclusion, care, compassion, forgiveness and reconciliation.
As we press on in faith . . .
Comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable . . . for we need You now;
Bend, mold, reshape and remake us . . . for we need You now;
Reveal Yourself to us in new and newer ways . . . for we need You now;
Renew us in deeper and more deliberate ways a keen sense of Your Presence . . . revive us now,
and;
Speak to us in bold, clear and clarifying ways as we listen for You . . . for if we ever needed You, we need You now.
From our hearts to Your ears, hear our collective prayers, Jehovah Shalom, God of Peace. For it is in Your many Divine names and in the name of Jesus, the Rabbi and Christ, we pray.
May it be so.
Ashe'.
Namaste.
Amen.
Prayer submitted by:
REV. BRENDAN Y. BOONE
Senior Pastor
FirstCoast Metropolitan Community Church
St. Augustine, Florida, USA
