Luke 10.1-12
The Lord commissioned seventy-two others and sent them on ahead in pairs to every city and place he was about to go. He said to them, “The harvest is bigger than you can imagine, but there are few workers. Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers for his harvest. Go! Be warned, though, that I’m sending you out as lambs among wolves. Carry no wallet, no bag, and no sandals. Don’t even greet anyone along the way. Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘May peace be on this house.’ If anyone there shares God’s peace, then your peace will rest on that person. If not, your blessing will return to you. Remain in this house, eating and drinking whatever they set before you, for workers deserve their pay. Don’t move from house to house. Whenever you enter a city and its people welcome you, eat what they set before you. Heal the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘God’s kingdom has come upon you.’ Whenever you enter a city and the people don’t welcome you, go out into the streets and say, ‘As a complaint against you, we brush off the dust of your city that has collected on our feet. But know this: God’s kingdom has come to you.’ I assure you that Sodom will be better off on Judgment Day than that city.
Today, we invite you to write a collect prayer using this simple form:
1. Call on the Name of God! (Creator, Spirit of Love, Savior, Prince of Peace, Father/Mother… Think of the many names we call God.)
2. Describe God’s Character illustrated by that Name. Why do you believe God will listen/answer your prayer?
3. Cry Out your need and desire before God.
4. Give your prayer to the saving work of Jesus.
How will your prayer grow God’s Family and serve Jesus’ Movement? How will answering this prayer increase the rule of God in our lives and the world? You may need to go back and rethink your prayer at this point…
5. Conclude by praying in Jesus’ name, remembering the power of the Cross and the glory of the Resurrection.
There is a continual cycle contained in this form of thinking ahead then going back to edit and rewrite the words that best express our thoughts. The greatest strength of this prayer is to shape our dreams to the dream of God.
