Turning Point

Turning Point

O Lord!

When someone lets go of decades of pain and suffering and begins to move toward wholeness –

We turn to you and give thanks that healing is possible through you.

When our young people, despite our best efforts, lose their way and find themselves in all kinds of prisons –

We turn to you for the keys and the strength to believe in tomorrow.

When our young people are faced with temptations at school, on the Internet – virtually everywhere they go –

We turn to you and remember that they are your children first.

When marriages reach the point where it seems like there is no hope –

We turn to you for patience and strength.

When marriages overcome obstacles of infidelity, neglect and the interference of others –

We turn to you and praise you for your faithfulness and grace.

When we become so tired and exhausted that we feel like we can’t go on –

We turn to you for strength and endurance.

When people become so isolated that they barely exist –

We turn to you and thank you for seeing us when we are invisible.

When people come out from years of hiding in the shadows –

We turn to you and thank you for your persistence and steadfast love.

When we see that our sins have caused immeasurable damage throughout our lives –

We turn to you for second, third, fourth (and so on) chances; and know we have them in Jesus.

When we feel like we are unworthy and no longer acceptable to you –

We turn to you and feel the embrace of your grace and unconditional love in Christ.

When this whole world seems to be on the brink of falling apart –

We turn to you with whatever we have left.

When we see things falling apart and new things emerging like people coming together like never before –

We turn to you and praise you for being a God that restores and renews.

When our brothers, sisters and friends are diagnosed with terrible diseases –

We turn to you and cry out “Why?!”

When our ill brothers, sisters and friends are strengthened and sometimes even cured –

We turn to you and thank you for your mercy and providence.

When we have tried everything and it still doesn’t work –

We turn to you and throw our hands up in the air.

When other voices discourage and bring us down –

We turn to you to hear the voice of truth.

When we are disoriented and feel lost –

We turn to you to be directed and found.

When we have surrendered all of our hopes and dreams to you –

We turn to you and watch them materialize in ways we never expected.

When we see our nation drowning in violence, idols, self-indulgence and greed –

We turn to you for the life preserver of peace and satisfaction.

When we see our nation rich with compassion, abundance and hope –

We turn to you and thank you for the gift of being here.

When our loved ones die and we can’t hear their voice anymore –

We turn to you and say, “We wanted just one more time…”

When we leave this earth and enter in your presence –

We will turn to you and our loved ones and smile at that glorious reunion.

We turn to you in all of these days and times and remember your words and promises –

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:39

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Discussion Questions

1. What can make the difference in how we view what is happening in our world?
2. How can we keep in mind that God is in control despite what it may look like?
3. What can we do about evil in this world? What is our response?
4. From where does our help and hope come? How can we keep that in mind during times like this?

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