“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” Colossians 3:14 (NRSV)
Here is the Worship Link for Sunday, May 10: https://youtu.be/xOQ4_HFds3A
Worship: Sunday, May 17, 2026, 10:45 AM
Scripture to Ponder and Prayer
Seventh Week after Easter
Texts this week: Acts 1:6–14; Psalm 68:1–10, 32–35; 1 Peter 4:12–14; 5:6–11; & John 17:1–11
To ponder: John 17:1–11
As the church moves toward Ascension Sunday, we hear Jesus praying — not preaching, not performing miracles, not correcting people — but praying. In John 17, Jesus lifts up his disciples and friends before God with tenderness and trust. He prays for those who are confused, fearful, uncertain, and left behind. He prays for unity, protection, courage, and love. Even as he prepares to leave them physically, he does not abandon them spiritually.
There is something deeply comforting in knowing that before the cross, before the ascension, before the waiting of Pentecost, Jesus prayed for the world and for the people he loved.
Prayer is one of the most human things we do. Sometimes we make it complicated, but prayer can be as simple as speaking honestly — like speaking to a trusted friend, sitting quietly in God’s presence, walking alone under the sky, lighting a candle, crying without words, or whispering hope in the middle of the night. Prayer is not always polished language. It is relationship.
Jesus reminds us that prayer is not about controlling outcomes. We do not pray because we can force God’s hand. We pray because love calls us to care. We pray because compassion moves us beyond ourselves. We pray because the world is hurting and because our hearts carry one another.
Sometimes we pray and nothing seems to change immediately. Yet Jesus teaches us not to stop loving, not to stop praying, not to stop doing what is right simply because the response is delayed. Faithfulness is not measured by instant results. Our calling is to keep sowing seeds of mercy, justice, kindness, and hope. God answers prayers in God’s own time, often in ways we do not fully understand.
This week, perhaps the invitation is simple:
Who do you carry in your heart today?
Who needs your prayer, your kindness, your forgiveness, or your presence?
Who in this world feels forgotten, lonely, fearful, or exhausted?
As Jesus prayed for his friends, may we also become people who pray for one another — not only with words, but with our lives.
Let us pray,
Loving God,
teach us to pray with honesty and trust.
When we are anxious, quiet our hearts.
When we are tired, renew our spirits.
When the world feels divided, help us become people of compassion and peace.
We pray for the whole humanity, those who suffer, and those who feel alone today.
May we trust that no prayer offered in love is ever wasted.
In the spirit of Christ who prayed for the world, Amen.
Trinity United Church 