Prayer 16: Not passing by …

Dear God,

I read today about how You healed the women with the bleeding while You were on Your way to help Jairus’ daughter. It must have been very busy, and it struck me how brave and humane it was for You to stop on the way to one task and make time for another, even with all the pressure other people were putting on You.

Help me to be prepared to stop and make time for others even when there’s a very important task to be done elsewhere – as it’s something I do so easily forget. After all, I really wouldn’t want You or indeed other people to pass me by when I need help because there was something far more important somewhere else. Thank You.

Prayer 7: the hell of roads

Dear God,

I hate roads. I have just spent an hour on the A3 trying to get to work and now I am stupidly late. And today I was especially trying to be early as I’ve just made it under the wire for 9am for most of this week, so I was trying to be good today. Then again, trying to be good doesn’t really suit me, does it? You are – and have never been – fooled by that.

Anyhow, this morning I am now officially 30 minutes late and I’m feeling cross. If You are going to inspire Your people to make roads, please could You ensure that they are fit for the purpose and have enough room for the number of cars that want to be on them? Surely it can’t be too much to ask. Or if You’re feeling particularly generous (which of course You always are) please could you make sure that there aren’t any other cars on the road when I want to get to work quickly. That would be lovely.

Then again, while I think of it, half way during my long and painful stay on the A3, I did have to pull over for an ambulance. I hope the people who needed the ambulance were all right, whatever’s happened, and please could You take care of them? That would be lovely too. And maybe I should really just count myself lucky that I was stuck in a long queue and not needing an ambulance myself. So I’m grateful that I’m only late for work, and not absent from it entirely this morning. There’s a sobering thought … Thank You.

Prayer 6: the pressure of life …

Dear God,

I just nipped in to have a blood pressure test at work in between meetings, as it’s apparently Blood Pressure Week, and I am shocked at how high my readings are. The nurse took it twice too, just to make sure I was still alive after the trauma of the first reading. Apparently I was, but it was a close-run thing. It’s my view that You’re really letting me down here as the last time I had my blood pressure checked six months ago, it was fine, and I thought it was actually something I didn’t have to worry about. But now You appear to have added this to my list too. Um, thanks.

Is there a divine reason for this? If not, please could You see your gracious way to bringing the pesky reading down so I don’t have to worry about strokes or kidney disease or any of the other horrific outcomes listed in the leaflet the nurse gave me, and which is now giving me nightmares. I was so taken aback by the number of illnesses I could be letting myself in for that when I got home I poured myself a Pimm’s and lemonade just to take the edge off. Well, if alcohol is now a Bad Thing, then the least I can do is make sure it has fruit in it. I added a lemon.

If on the other hand, my blood pressure disaster is Your way of getting me to slow down and lower my impressively high stress levels, then please could You give me some extra time to do so? Thank you.