5 Prayers
By Jesse Steven Wheeler
A Prayer for the Present
Christ Jesus,
We long for the day when the violent, oppressive, and broken kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of the Lord, when all has been made new, and we experience no longer the trauma of death, or mourning, or crying, or pain.
Forgive us those times we have allowed our nightmarish misconceptions about the future to manifest in the lived, present-day nightmares and suffering of your children, our fellow earth-bound brothers and sisters—most especially our sisters and brothers of Palestine.
Empower us by the Holy Spirit to live in hopeful anticipation of your promised future, a future of joy, justice, and peace, clinging to it as a guiding light and allowing it to inform and give shape to our contemporary realities.
In your holy name we pray, Lord Jesus.
Amen.
A Prayer for Wisdom and Courage
Lord God,
This advent season, grant us the wisdom and courage to learn from and follow Joseph’s example, a judicious willingness to defy both law and custom for the sake of a greater, life-affirming holiness.
Open our eyes and our hearts to the experiences, insecurities, and hardship of others, that we might become servants, however limited, of your divine grace, love, and deliverance for those you have placed in our life.
Guide us in the path of true righteousness and restorative justice, even at the expense of our pride and public image. We pray this in your holy name Lord Jesus.
Amen.
A Prayer for Faith
Lord Jesus,
We deceive ourselves too often into thinking we know what it means to drink your cup. And yet, we idolize security and comfort. We yearn for status and crave authority over others.
Teach us to follow in your path, to serve you in our service to others, and divest ourselves from the power, however great or little, to which we so jealously cling.
May we place our trust in you alone and walk behind you on the narrow path of self-sacrificial, all-embracing love.
In your holy name we pray, Lord Jesus.
Amen.
Modified Wheeler Family Prayer
King Jesus,
We love you.
Grant us the ability to love others just as you love us so much, and the courage to do for others as we would want them to do for us.
Guide and direct us. Help the hungry, sick, and all who are in need. Bring freedom, fairness, and peace to all who are crying out for liberation.
Bless the children of our family, our city, and the world. Surround them with your love, and fill them with your joy that they may grow happy, healthy, and safe for all their lives.
In your amazing name we pray, King Jesus.
Amen.
A Prayer for Humility and Courage
Grant us, your people, the humility to self-critically examine the harms we have caused, the wisdom to dismantle our complicity in perpetuating systems of injustice, and the courage to step forward as proactive agents of authentic reconciliation and just peace.