31 Days of Prayer: DAY 30

FOCUS VERSES: “Heaven is declaring God’s glory; the sky is proclaiming his handiwork. One day gushes the news to the next, and one night informs another what needs to be known. There is no speech; there are no words; their voices cannot be heard by us. Yet their sound extends throughout the world; their words reach the ends of the earth.” —Psalm 19:1-4 (CEB)

PRAYER OF PRESENCE: 

Gracious God,
As we pause in this moment, still our minds and quiet our hearts.
Let Your Spirit fill us with courage and compassion.
Open our eyes to see Your work around us,
And guide our steps to walk in Your love and truth.
In Christ’s name, Amen.

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 19

HYMN FOR REFLECTION:
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug8GxKeTbTQ 

O for a Heart to Praise My God
Charles Wesley, 1707–1788

1. O for a heart to praise my God,
   a heart from sin set free,
   a heart that always feels thy blood
   so freely shed for me.
2. A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
   my great Redeemer's throne,
   where only Christ is heard to speak,
   where Jesus reigns alone.
3. A humble, lowly, contrite heart,
   believing, true, and clean,
   which neither life nor death can part
   from Christ who dwells within.
4. A heart in every thought renewed
   and full of love divine,
   perfect and right and pure and good,
   a copy, Lord, of thine.
5. Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart;
   come quickly from above;
   write thy new name upon my heart,
   thy new, best name of Love.

REFLECTION

During my last year in seminary, I joined a group of faculty and students on a trip to Mozambique, a nation in southeast Africa. This trip was part of a class that focused on contextual theology and intercultural learning. The goal was to help students gain greater awareness of global Christianity and (hopefully) become more sensitive to the realities of people of faith in different parts of the world.

During our trip, we spent most of our time in an orphanage, where we shared life with hundreds of children who had been abandoned or had lost their parents to HIV/AIDS, violence, or addiction. These were children who had suffered losses beyond what many of us could comprehend. Yet, what struck me most was not their sorrow but their joy—the way they found light even in the midst of hardship. They laughed, played, cared for one another, and formed a community of resilience and love. Their lives bore witness to something profound: that even in the most difficult circumstances, God’s presence can still be known.

Somewhat like my native Brazil, Mozambique is a nation of contradictions. Following its fight for independence in 1974, the country endured decades of civil war, and by the 1990s, it was recognized as one of the poorest nations in the world. Yet, Mozambique is also breathtakingly beautiful. The orphanage where we stayed was situated along one of the most stunning beaches I had ever seen. The pristine waters of the Mozambican coast, the clear sands, open skies, and lush vegetation provided a tragic contrast to the great poverty present throughout the country.

At first, I found this contrast unsettling—how could a place of such suffering also be so magnificent? But in seeing the natural beauty of the nation, I was reminded of the words of Psalm 19:

“The heavens are declaring God’s glory; the sky is proclaiming his handiwork. One day gushes the news to the next, and one night informs another what needs to be known. There is no speech; there are no words; their voices cannot be heard by us. Yet their sound extends throughout the world; their words reach the ends of the earth.”

This Psalm reminded me that God’s love, care, and presence are manifested throughout the created world. Creation itself speaks of God’s goodness, even when human suffering tries to tell a different story. And while I was slow to grasp this reality, the children at the orphanage already knew it. They saw beauty in one another, in their community, and in the world around them. Their ability to love, to care, and to find joy in one another was a testimony to God’s presence among them.

Like the silent movement of the celestial bodies proclaiming God’s handiwork, these children—without grand speeches or formal theological training—revealed God’s love through the way they lived, played, and cared for one another. I just needed to pause long enough to see it.

This experience also led me to reflect on the ways in which we see or fail to see God’s handiwork in our own lives. How often do we let hardship blind us to the beauty around us? How often do we fail to see God’s presence in the people and places we least expect? Mozambique taught me that God’s glory is not only found in cathedral ceilings and worship services but also in the laughter of children, in the waves of the ocean, and in the quiet resilience of those who continue to love despite their suffering.

 CLOSING PRAYER:

Be kind to your little children, Lord.
Be a gentle teacher, patient with our weakness and stupidity.
And give us the strength and discernment to do what you tell us, and so grow in your likeness.
May we all live in the peace that comes from you.
May we journey toward your city,
sailing through the waters of sin untouched by the waves, borne serenely along by the Holy Spirit.
Night and day may we give you praise and thanks, because you have shown us that all things belong to you, and all blessings are gifts from you.
To you, the essence of wisdom, the foundation of truth, be glory for evermore.
—Clement of Alexandria (150 – 215)

WEEKLY PRACTICE: Jan 26 - 31 (Sun - Fri) 

Intercession: Considering Others in Prayer

These final days of the 31 days of prayer is a chance to build a bridge that connects the habit of prayer in many ways with the evangelistic work of all of us as people of faith. Each day, take time to pray for someone else. Do this by name. Speak or journal with a heart for wholistic health and well being in body, mind, and spirit. Consider a need or desire they have and if prompted within, intercede for them by asking for God’s divine provision in their lives. Whether you trust that prayer is all you are called to do in the moment or you feel prompted to be present in other ways such as an invitation to connect, walk with them through a difficult moment, or otherwise be the hands and feet of Christ in their lives, do so without hesitation. Have faith that God is at work in you and your prayers and that by faith your intercessions will open up the windows of heaven in the others’ lives. 

All honor and glory to God and may God bless you and keep you as you listen and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit in your prayers. Amen.