On 15 March 2020 John Ortberg, pastor of Menlo Church, sat down with Dr. Condoleezza Rice, a member of his church. Dr. Rice is an American political scientist, diplomat, civil servant, and former professor at Stanford University. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush. After her conversation with John Ortberg she closed with this fitting prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, we come to you in trying times. We are anxious. Our minds race with the what ifs and fear of the unknown, and our hearts are heavy for those already lost and those who are in danger. Yet, we are so grateful for the privilege of bringing these concerns to you in prayer. We ask that you enter into the depths of our worries and bring comfort, relief, and resilience to all in our country and across the world.
Father, we pray especially for those who are most vulnerable to this virus. Please ease any feelings of isolation and loneliness they might have. We pray for our healthcare workers and first responders who are on the front lines sacrificing to serve the sick. We ask blessings on our men and women in uniform who are defending us far from home and family.
Bring to all of them encouragement and strength. We are grateful for those who night and day work to advance science that can protect us and treat us. We pray for our leaders at home and abroad. Help them to act wisely and humanely and to put aside their differences as they make crucial decisions to guide us through this crisis.
We pray that out of this time of trial we may find new ways to serve one another and to be closer to you. In Romans 5, the apostle Paul encouraged us to glory also in tribulation because from it comes patience and experience and hope which will not be disappointed because of God's love for us. Help us to use this time when we have been forced to slow the pace of our lives to reflect, to learn how to listen to each other, and to deepen our bonds of community even in this time of separation, and most especially, help us to take these quieter moments to hear your voice and your call with greater clarity.
O Lord, we know we are called to be faithful to you, for you are relentlessly faithful to us, so we ask for your comfort in our lives but also for the grace to behave toward one another as Jesus Christ calls us to do, to treat each other with kindness and respect, to be patient and calm, and to be generous in caring for and praying for those who are most in need. These things we ask in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.
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