praying the headlines with hope
Pray the News – February 11th, 2024
About a year ago one of my bonus sisters (aka stepsisters) retired after a long and illustrious career in journalism. In her last prestigious gig before retirement, she wrote headlines for a large mass media company. Every headline she wrote wound up grabbing the attention of countless readers all over the world. A couple of weeks ago I thought I had a great idea for a new project for my YouTube channel – Praying the Headlines with Hope. Having secured the most comprehensive sources for up-to-date headlines, I started looking over that day’s offerings, expecting one of them to beckon me to look closer. But the longer I looked, the more discouraged I became. These are not even news stories, just headlines. Unlike the detached dictionary definition, “a heading in a newspaper for any written material, to indicate subject matter, set in larger type than that of the copy,” they were downright draining and depressing!
Today we are going to pray for our hearts and minds to be able to read the news, or even the news headlines, so that we can remain appropriately engaged in the world with the heart of God and the mind of Christ.
Let’s pray.
Lord, thank you for the technology that exists in the world today that makes it possible for us to know what’s going on all over the world. We confess that it’s all too much for us. We feel overwhelmed with too much information, overwhelmed with all of the human suffering, overwhelmed with so much hopelessness, overwhelmed with the relentless inundation of even more bad news. We ask you for the grace to be able to pray the headlines with hope, as Paul said of the Thessalonians, “steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” We cast all of our cares on you because you care for us, O God! Help us to abide in you, Jesus, to lean into you in every moment and with every breath. Help us to remember to pray the ancient “Jesus Prayer” together, whenever anxiety, fear, or despair rises up. We will pray that prayer together three times right now. As we breathe in slowly, we pray, “Lord Jesus Christ,” and receive a fresh infilling of your presence, peace, and power. As we breathe out slowly, we pray, “have mercy on me,” and release everything that weighs down our hearts and minds. “Lord Jesus Christ … have mercy on me.” “Lord Jesus Christ … have mercy on me.” Thank you, God, for your glorious grace! Amen.
