Most weeks I jump right into the prayer, both on the call and in written form.This week I need to give you a little introduction. Here in Georgia we finishing our second week of on-line instruction. In our house it’s going pretty well for two reasons. First, both of my girls already do half of their courses on-line, and, second, their schedules are not very different because their horses are completely unaware of social distancing. I know that isn’t true of a lot of their classmates. Writing this prayer was a challenge.

Most weeks, I keep a little list of things I’d like to mention in the prayers along with events and requests from classmates. I also read books and spend a lot of time thinking about the Bible passages to include. This week, I pulled out a book about praying for teens. I looked at the table of contents and wanted to cry. All the normal things were there–praying for integrity, good friends, a teenage driver. But where is praying for your child during a worldwide pandemic? A quarantine? When all of the fun senior year stuff is sliding through their fingers?

And then I thought about how this is what I imagine a war feels like, in some small way. In reading historical prayers I came across General Patton’s prayer from immediately before the Battle of the Bulge. (General Patton was well known for his devotion to prayer.) When he was talking over the state of prayer amongst his soldiers, Patton asked his chaplain is they were praying very much. Chaplain O’Neill said, “I do not believe much prayer is going on. Where there is fighting, everyone prays, but now, with this constant rain–when things are quiet, only quiet, men just sit and wait for things to happen…I do not believe that much praying is being done.” Patton asked him to compose a prayer appropriate to the rainy weather, the unending wait for battle, and the fatigue of the soldiers.

Chaplain O’Neill went on to write a lovely, small prayer that was signed by General Patton and distributed on cards to his troops immediately before Christmas. By the way, one of the things they prayed for was that the rain would stop. It did, and the Allies won the Battle of the Bulge in an absolutely pivotal moment. So the end of today’s prayer is based on General Patton’s Christmas prayer.

Let’s not be too quiet that we forget to pray.

Father,

We gather together in a strange time, something none of us, parents or children, have been through. Nonetheless, some things are always true and we hold to them:

God is our refuge and our strength,
A very present help in time of trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
Though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
The holy habitation of the LORD most high.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God will help her when the morning comes.
God says, "Be still and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations. 
I will be exalted the earth!"
The LORD of Hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our Fortress.

Father, David’s Psalm reminds us of so many good things: you are our refuge, our fortress; you will help us; we only need to be still. Being still can be difficult! Our kids–and we–have never encountered a time to be still like this one. Help us to find peace in the stillness. Teach us to refrain from filling every still moment with something, anything.

Thank you for the good things we have seen during this pause in school.

Thank you for teachers who tell our kids how much they are loved and missed.

Thank you for a school that had a plan for instruction in spite of not be able to be together in one place.

Thank you for the amazing technology that allows school and camaraderie and friendships happen in spite of being apart physically.

We ask for protection and good health for our entire school family. For wised on the part of teachers and administration. For continued clarity of mind and safety for all front-line health workers, researchers, leaders at every level trying to contain this illness.

[This is a good place to add other individual petitions and praises. We had some terrific news on a couple of family members and some illnesses unrelated to COVID-19 that we prayed for.]

And then we pray for the every member of the class of 2020, for their hearts and their hopes and their loves and their fears. Draw each one closer to You now, Father. [Insert the names of the kids you pray for.]

Finally, we close with a petition to You, God, that this illness can be defeated.

Alright and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain this virus with which we contend. Grant us excellent insight and clear vision to treat this illness. Give this of us quarantined patience to wait. Incline Your ear to us who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, from treatment and cure to successful treatment and cure, that we may emerge from this time healthier as a nation in body, mind and spirit.

In Your Son’s name,

Amen.

Note: This is a day late (with no Wednesday post this week!) because our internet has gone out. What timing, with four students home and needing to do on-line school! Hopefully our system will be back up and running Monday and I’ll be back with a regularly scheduled post. Have a great weekend!