Lord, Father, how hard it is to learn the lessons you desire so much to teach us. Jonah didn't learn much in his experience with the great fish. Did he even learn on the hillside overlooking Nineveh? How much do we cause ourselves to suffer because of our own stubbornness and self-will? Open my eyes that I might learn, that I might see as you see, think as you think. Draw me ever closer to that reality. Amen.

[From my prayerbook, 20 Sept 1991]

Lord of great and small, many Christians around the world belong to congregations few in number. They sometimes become discouraged because they are small or because they have few resources to work with.

We know, o God, that you do not despise small numbers, but small faith. You are the God of Gideon's three hundred soldiers.

So uphold those brothers and sisters in small groups, that their faith may be strengthened. Hold up their hands for great works, and remind them of the power which raised Jesus from the dead.

In whom we discover and perform great things. Amen.

God of success, Jesus will be the author and perfecter of faith, whether I am faithful or not. You will bring everything to its conclusion, whether I finish the race or fall by the way.

The world doesn't turn on my word, nor am I the center of the universe. And a good thing at that!

You are the only constant, the only unchangeable factor, the only steady-as-she-goes controller to finish fully the Original Plan.

The faith once for all delivered to the saints isn't about me, Lord, I know that. But how I want to be a part of the final curtain call!

So my eyes are fixed on Jesus, every moment. Amen.

Lord God, all my life I have cried, "I want to see." As a child my mother often chided, "You don't need to see." But my curiosity kept me poking my nose in all sorts of places.

And I still want to see, Lord. I want to see you face to face. I want to peer upon the gates of heaven, look through the transparent streets of gold, watch the angels come and go from your throne, behold the saints in joyful communion, witness the Lion-Lamb in all his glory, stand before the tree of life restored to man.

While I wait for that moment, I want to see results from my work, tomorrow's events, the rocks in the road ahead.

But you remind me we walk not by sight but faith. And tell me, "You don't need to see. Trust me."

Lord, help my unbelief! As I shut the eyes of doubt and fear, open my heart to trust your leading.

By your all-seeing Son and the Spirit of the seven eyes. Amen.

Only God united in yourself, your unity of purpose, your love within yourself are great signs to us as social beings. To be able to communicate, you gave us language. And what a joy it is to be able to speak and express ourselves to one another and to you!

We may speak in poetry and prose, with our voices or with paper and pen, through any number of means of communication: telefone, Internet, radio, television, books. We may use irony, sarcasm, hyperbole, questions, statements. Our language may be logical or emotional, feeling or factual.

You give us so many opportunities that we must select and choose.

Help us to choose wisely, to speak carefully, to share joyfully the wonders of communion with you. Through him who spoke as no one before or since. Amen.