This week’s prayer is powerful in its simplicity:
Grant, O merciful God,
that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit,
may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
You could pray it like this: “Lord, make us one so that Your power can be seen in us; let us glorify Your name.”
Sometimes I like to distill the main “point” of each prayer so that I can focus on it as I pray. However, I love that the request is surrounded by two important parts:
- An address: “Grant, O merciful God”
- A closing: “through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.”
It’s tempting to race through the opening and closing lines, but I encourage you to pause and let them rest in your soul. Knowing that we come before a merciful God with our requests sheds beautiful light on Who He is.
He IS full of mercy!
His mercies never end; they are new every morning.
And being reminded, at the close, that God the Father, and Jesus, and the Holy Spirit all live and work together as One brings us confidence that He is in control of all things.
We can rest, knowing He’s got this. He is faithful.
This week, I’m asking that my heart will be soft toward my brothers and sisters who may differ from me in their beliefs, traditions, and expressions of worship. May we love one another in such a way that God’s power is evident to all.
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35
Have a great week, my friends!
Rachel
