Daily Word of Grace # 171 (November 10, 2020)
A particularly powerful collect (brief, theologically loaded prayer) in The Book of Common Prayer is this one: “Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen” (234). We are living in a time when both individually and societally there is much anxiety about “earthly things”—and understandably so given the pandemic, social unrest, political polarization, and economic volubility—so this collect is particularly timely. And yet we are still assured that although all these things are very important, they are also “things that are passing away”—and we are still called “to hold fast to those that shall endure.” Similarly we read in scripture, “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). And it is only through the grace of God we are able to do this. In other words, we are only able “to hold fast to those that shall endure” and experience “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” because God is holding onto us.
Love and Prayers,
Dave