Look kindly on the prayer and petition of your servant, O LORD, my God, and listen to the cry of supplication which I, your servant, utter before you this day. (From 1 Kings 8)

A community cries out over the loss of one it’s landmarks—hear our prayer for some good news to come to our town!  A family is grieving over the loss of their livelihood—hear our prayer for them!  A mother begs and pleads for her child’s illness to be taken away—hear our prayer for healing and hope!  A farmer is in need of better prices and markets for their goods—hear our prayer for fair and equal trade opportunities!  Snow, ice, and bitter cold threatens our livestock and those who live on the streets or in inadequate shelter—hear our prayer for safety in this weather!  Policies set by our government threaten the safety of the vulnerable in all stages of life—hear our prayer for life to be valued in all its stages and forms!  Nations are rising up against one another, violence is building against entire classes of people, it has somehow become ok to ridicule and threaten ethnic groups and other races in our country—hear our prayers for peace!  Retirements, deaths, illnesses, losses of jobs, and individuals forced to move away just to find work are just some of the difficult changes we are working through—hear our prayers for wisdom and strength!  The LORD will look kindly upon us and will hear our prayers and our cries!  We have to believe and we have to have faith!  Then, and only then, will the healing begin!  Amen!