The Curtain is Closing on 2008

The curtain is drawing closed on 2008, and what a year it has been for America and for most of us personally too! Ups and downs, wicked weather and even more wicked economic storms, history has been made with our Presidential election and scandal has been made with corporate and personal greed (Madoff) as well as miscellaneous public servants (i.e. politicians) living duplicitous lives.


But through it all Jesus remains and God is still on His throne! We may not be living the ‘good times’ right now, but we are not without hope. We may not know what the future holds, but we do know Who holds the future! And if we just keep our eyes on Him, the storm will not overtake us.


My last blog post was a book review of For these Tough Times, by Max Lucado. For my final blog post of 2008, I’d like to share a prayer Max included at the conclusion of the book. I hope you enjoy.


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Dear Lord,

We’re still hoping we’ll wake up. We’re still hoping we’ll open a sleepy eye and think, “What a horrible dream. How could this have happened?”

We are sad, Father. And so we come to you. We don’t ask you for help; we beg you for it. We don’t request; we implore. We know what you can do. We’ve read the accounts. We’ve pondered the stories and now we plead, “Do it again, Lord. Do it again.”

Remember Joseph? You rescued him from the pit. You can do the same for us. Do it again, Lord. Remember the Hebrews in Egypt? You protected their children from the angel of death. We have children too, Lord. Do it again.

And Sarah? Remember her prayers? You heard them. Joshua? Remember his fears? You inspired him. The women at the tomb? You resurrected their hope. The doubts of Thomas? You took them away. Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

You changed Daniel from a captive into a king’s counselor. You took Peter the fisherman and made him Peter an apostle. Because of you, David went from leading sheep to leading armies. Do it again, Lord, for we need counselors today, Lord. We need apostles. We need leaders. Do it again, dear Lord.

Most of all, do again what you did at Calvary. What we saw in this tragedy, you saw there that Friday. Innocence slaughtered. Goodness murdered. Mothers weeping. Evil dancing. Just as the shadows fell on our children, the darkness fell on your Son. Just as our world has been shattered, the very child of Eternity was pierced.

And by dusk, heaven’s sweetest song was silent, buried behind a rock.

But you did not waver, O Lord. You did not waver. After your Son lay three days in a dark hole, you rolled the rock and rumbled the earth and turned the darkest Friday into the brightest Sunday. Do it again, Lord. Turn this Calvary into an Easter.

Thank you for these hours of prayer.

Let your mercy be upon all who suffer. Grant to those who lead us wisdom beyond their years and experience. Have mercy upon the souls who have departed and the wounded who remain. Give us grace that we might forgive and faith that we might believe.

And look kindly upon your church. For two thousand years you’ve used her to heal a hurting world.

Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

Through Christ, Amen.



HAPPY NEW YEAR!