A Prayer for Wanderers

Father, you are Awesome God, God of all Knowledge, Wisdom and Truth—God of all people, places and things—God of all authority, power and might. We are blessed to be created by you, to be your people, to tend your world and care for your creation. You are worthy of our worship, trust and obedience.

Instead, we are more like sheep of your pasture, who are given so much by your grace—yet prone to wander from the pathway. We nibble our way out of your presence and away from your purpose—by wanting, seeking and clamoring for more than enough. We build and buy bigger and better when we should be content with what we have so that others may have enough. We need to simplify rather than complicate our lives so that we can focus on the people you call us to love and the world you have created for our habitation.

We are like students with wandering attention spans—daydreaming, doodling, blissfully unaware that tests and exams are coming. Like the disciples of old asked of you, we too need to learn how to live, how to pray and how to fulfill your purpose for our lives. We need to turn our attention from ourselves and notice those around us in need—the sick, the lonely, the hurting, the oppressed and imprisoned, those in need of daily bread and goods, as well as and those in plenty who are starving to know love, forgiveness, peace and hope of abundant life for now and eternity.

And so, we ask for a fresh beginning—to follow the guidance of your Spirit and learn from our Master Teacher, to follow the Great Shepherd. We turn our attention to you this day, to open our hearts in your presence and receive renewed strength and wisdom for the living of our days through faith in Jesus, the one who ever lives to intercede for his own and whose Spirit guides us in the right way.

As wanderers, we are not able to transform our lives without your life-giving power, so we pray as the author of Hebrews prayed: “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip us with everything good for doing His will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21, NIV)

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