7th March. 2022. Daily Devotion.
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:13-15.
When John Wesley was sailing to America, the wind shifted direction so as to knock them off course. He heard the commotion among the sailors from his cabin and went to investigate. His response when he found out they were being diverted from their intended direction shows a boldness that few of us would dare imitate:
“Almighty and everlasting God, Thou hast sway everywhere, and all things serve the purpose of Thy will, Thou holdest the winds in Thy fists and sittest upon the water floods, and reignest a King for ever. Command these winds and these waves that they obey Thee and take us speedily and safely to the haven whither we would go.”
He then calmly rose from his knees, returned to his cabin and resumed reading a book. One of his fellow passengers (who wrote down the prayer, above) was amazed to find that, when he went on deck, the wind had calmed down and the ship returned to its intended course. Wesley never mentioned the incident: he was so convicted in God’s love that he found such an answer to his prayer completely unremarkable.
Maybe God will not, in His infinite wisdom, answer a prayer; He knows best and will do what is best. But fear of rejection is no reason not to pray boldly and with confidence. God hears our prayers and will indeed act in the world in response to them. Pray boldly! We worship in reverence and humility, but we pray with confidence. M.B.
Lord, let me always remember your infinite love, and reflect my confidence in my prayers. Amen.
Teach us, good Lord, to serve you as you deserve; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to seek for rest; to labour and not to seek for any reward, save that of knowing that we do your will; through Christ our Lord. Amen Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)
Heavenly Lord, weaver of life and cementer of relationships, we pray that you will weave us into your goodness and into each other. Give us grace we pray, to follow closely in the way of your Son by offering a place of belonging at your table to immigrants, to people who are homeless, to people seeking asylum and to all who find themselves on the margins of our society. Help us, Lord, to offer all who need it a new and safe place in which to be. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
For Ukraine.
Have mercy, Lord our God, on those whom war, oppression or famine have robbed of homes and friends and all those who try to help them. We commend also into your care those whose homes are broken by conflict and lack of love; Grant that where the love of man has failed, the divine compassion may heal. Hear us as we pray for the displaced people of Ukraine for those whose homes have been left behind or have been destroyed who live with fear and grief. Give them courage, give them peace give them hope and stay the hand of the oppressor through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.