Some days we need more prayer than we do devotion. Read Psalm 37:1-9. The Psalms are prayers that were written to music. Today I wrote the prayer before the devotion and felt like today’s prayer can stand on its own. I wrote it as I reflected on September 11, 2001.

MERCIFUL GOD, in our most difficult hour, we wavered in our faith. Forgive us, we pray. Help us to stand on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. May the most difficult hour we face be a catalyst to strengthen our faith. Even when the earth gives way below our feet, hold us closely to you so that we might stand. When faced with evil, we lose sight of love. Forgive us, we pray. Lord, why does evil triumph while the vulnerable are destroyed? From the ashes, help us to find a deeper level of love in those we hold dear. Let us be firmly rooted in the love of Jesus. Give us a determination to love even in the face of the worst kind of evil. In the darkest hour, we lost hope. Forgive us, we pray. We are astounded by the extreme acts of terror that we face in the world. Give us courage to face the evil in today’s world and rebuke it. Renew our hope that we can work together by the guidance of your Holy Spirit to make the world a better place. When the sky was falling, our peace was shattered. Forgive us, we pray. Restore our peace. Give us peace that passes all understanding. Help us to see beyond the disturbances that cause temporary turmoil and give us a vision of the peace you are calling us to live out.