A Prayer of our Youth

 

In this past Sunday’s Scripture lesson (Luke 13:1-9), Jesus tells the parable of the fig tree to communicate God’s grace and our need for repentance. In fact, throughout Scripture, examples from creation are used to communicate truths about the reign of God.

In preparation for the prayer walk we took around our church campus on Sunday, I asked the youth to think about water (what it represents, what it reveals to us about God, etc.) and then craft a prayer that we could offer up in front of our pond. Below is what one table of young friends came up with. Perhaps you would like to join them in their prayer:

Restoring Christ – Our lives are filled with stress, anxiety and anger. Fear consumes us, vulnerability stops our movement; the rush of our lives can push us too fast; sometimes into missing your love and help. We thank you, Lord, for the restoration you provide. For the symbols given, such as water, which makes us clean. We thank you for the love you give, even if we rush past. Lord, provide us with your everlasting love, which never falters, even after we do. The restoration you give in our lives calms the storm. Amen.

And Idea for Going Deeper:

The next time the weather permits, find a spot by a pond or stream and meditate on the following water passages in Scripture. How do these water passages come alive in new ways?

• Pslam 42:1
• Psalm 65:9
• Isaiah 43:2
• Isaiah 49:10
• Matthew 8:23-27
• Mark 6:47-52
• John 4:13-14
• John 7:37-39

Prayer Walk

In worship yesterday, we encouraged everyone to get outside this week. To spend some time in nature as a spiritual practice. Being in God’s creation has a way of humbling and quieting us before God, as well as bringing a sense of peace. Nature is also often our greatest teacher. In fact, Jesus used numerous metaphors and parables drawn from the created world to communicate truths about the Kingdom of God.

After worship yesterday, a group of us took a prayer walk around the Friedens campus. We are fortunate to have a beautiful and serene outdoor setting. Despite the fierce wind, it was a meaningful and inspiring time together. We prayed for our church, our community and the wider world. If you missed it, perhaps you’d like to stop by the church sometime this week for a prayer walk. (The forecast looks good for today, Wednesday and Friday!) Below is a guide you can use on your walk, or ditch it and let the Spirit lead you as you walk, pray and spend time in God’s creation.

Guided Prayer Walk around Friedens Church

Begin outside the front entrance of Friedens. Offer a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s beautiful creation that nourishes our spirits.

The garden: Thank God for the promise of new life and for making beautiful things out of dust. Pray that our lives would be grounded in good, life-producing soil. Lift up our local community partners who tend our garden. Pray for our Weekender Backpack program, our Bread for the World chapter and that Friedens would be a church that feeds people both spiritually and physically.

135 and the surrounding homes: Pray for our neighborhood and for the people who drive up and down 135 each day. Pray that Friedens would be a safe and loving church that welcomes people and that as we reach wider, our presence in the community would reveal the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The pond: Ask God to fill us with living water. Pray that our lives would reflect the light of Christ. And that everyone around the world would have access to clean water.

The geese: Pray for the care and protection of all of God’s creatures great and small. Pray that we would be a people who seek refuge under the shadow of God’s wings.

The playground: Lift up the children of our church, the preschoolers who attend Hill Valley Preschool, the young people who spend time at our church campus each week, and the students of Perry Township schools.

The young trees by Hill Valley Dr: Pray that we would be deeply rooted in Christ, that we would branch wider with Christ’s love and that our lives would bear fruit. Pray for the Spirit-led growth of our church.

The butterfly garden: Pray that new life would be “cacooned” within us and that the Spirit would lead us in sharing the love of Christ. Lift up prayers of hope and gratitude for resurrection life. Like the Monarch Waystation, pray that Friedens would be a place of shelter for those in need of God’s love and protection.

The rocks by the front entrance: Thank God for being our rock and our salvation. Pray that God’s steadfast love would ground and guide us in the week ahead.