Prayer for Cornerstone

Dear Father,

Today, instead of talking to you about the GriefShare ministry specifically, I want to pray for my church family at Cornerstone, the ones who are supporting this particular arm of the GriefShare ministry.

I ask that you continue to bring to fruition the good work you have started in Cornerstone. Please continue to build up this community and equip us for the good work you want us to do.

Help the members of your body who happen to meet at the building on Hubbard Road in Madison to grow and mature, help us to grow into the fullness of what it really means to be part of your body. Let us always give you honor as our head, and to do our job, which is to move as you, the head, tell us to move.

Help us to turn our thoughts to what it is that you want from each one of us as an individual. What part of your body am I? I don't mean that I am desiring to know whether I am a hand or a foot - but what ROLE you would have me play in your body? How do you want me to function within the body? In what way would you have me come together with other members of your body to do the things you want done? May we all spend some time pondering these questions.

I ask that you would help Cornerstone to be healthy and to thrive and grow. Not because I want to be part of a big or influential church, but because we are part of your body, and it is right for your body to be healthy and strong, to thrive and grow. If that is not happening, then it is not of you, because you are good. Help us to turn from anything that takes us away from the good that you desire for your body.

Father, my heart breaks over this, because I see things that don't seem to be the good that comes from you. I know that you own the cattle on a thousand hills and do not need anything from us - there is nothing we can give you that we did not first receive from you. But, this part of your body does not seem to have the resources to accomplish all that it seems we could and that we desire to in ministry to you and to the people that you created. Because of that, I have questions. I wonder what is wrong that this would be so. How should we interpret this? What needs to change? Is there anything that needs to change within me?

At the same time, I rejoice to see so many things that are so clearly good, that I am sure are from you. There is much being done in the way of ministry even with virtually no budget. That amazes me and causes me to rejoice! You are so great, so mighty and powerful, able to do so much more than expect, than we can ask, or than we can even dream. Thank you for using us to share your word, for using us to share your love with the people around us, and for allowing us the pleasure of ministering in your name.

Please continue to touch people's lives through the members of your body that meet at Cornerstone. I know this is the desire of many others there, not just myself. We join together to ask that you would use us in this world in whatever way you desire. AMEN