purelyjoyous living

Father, we thank you. Our gratitude beyond measure. We thank you for him. This humble, faith filled servant You gave us as shepherd. His flock. Who he adores. We know. We feel it. His love outpouring each week as he leads, guides and points our eyes looking at You.

Lord, we come to You as Healer. Jevohah-Rapah. The Great Physician. The Creator. We cannot know Your ways. We don’t understand. Yet, we come to You with faith; believing our prayers are heard.

Always.

You will provide.

God, we can’t know Your will. We’re scared of it. Yet, we ask You to fulfill it. The cornerstone of our prayers. First, may Your will be done.

Yet, Lord, we ask You. Please, we pray. Save him. Bring him back. Healthy. Joyful.

Please, God. We ask that You heal Rick.

Please.

You who gave him life. Touch him again. Grant his doctors wisdom. Discernment. Provide healing and comfort. Fill his family’s hearts with peace. Bless their faith, Lord. Bless our own.

Heal him, Father. We ask You. Yet, not our will, but Yours is what we pray.

Just a few weeks ago, God, we gathered. Rick brought us together to worship You. To humbly recognize the great works that have been done in Your name, in Miami, over many decades. For You, by faithful men and women who’ve come before. Rick recognized these early church leaders from multiple congregations across South Florida. He asked us to join him and stand on the shoulders of these faithful few. Unite. Use the runway they built to do even greater things for You in this city. Pastor Rick brought forward those ready. The symbolism of him wrapping the cloaks around each of their shoulders. It’s not lost on me now.

I remember.

Lord, before he knew You knew. You were preparing him and us. For this difficult day.

We remember.

We stay strong. We continue this important work united with the leaders Rick appointed. Your work is not shouldered by one faithful man, but in the hearts of a faith filled church.

Each of us.

Greater things. Just as Rick taught. Because first he’s shown us what it means to love You. Beyond words. And, also, he has made us love him. So we join, like he has taught, to spread Your love in Your name.

Rick shows us how Your love peeks, shouts and beckons through every word of Your scripture. He lights a path for us, each week, that leads directly to You. And when we stumble Rick reminds us to run to You. Not away. He reminds us You are waiting. For us. Always. Because You know we fail. You know we are weak. You died to save us from ourselves. You call us to run to you. You wait with open arms. We are loved. Like a Father loves a child.

We are Yours.

And, Lord, now we run. Just like he told us to. We run right to You and we pray. We pray for Rick. We pray for Your will. Not our own. You know what we want. And, while we wait we continue on this mission. We go boldly down this path where Rick has led. We know this great work that is being done in love, in Miami, it is not his, or ours it is Yours.

We know and believe these greater things yet to come will continue as Your work. Within us. And, we are certain You will work whatever evil intended for ill masterfully turning it too good.

We believe this. In one voice we call to you. We pray. We pray for healing. We pray that Rick knows how much he is loved. We pray that he returns to us soon. And, we pray for a faith even half as bold as his own. We pray, as he does – our example in Christ – for your glory. In all things even this.

And, we continue in Your love to do this work, while we pray. Just like he would do if it was one of us.

Greater things are yet to come.

#prayforrick #greatertthings #james5:14-18