The Chinese version is after the English one.
中文版本在英文版本下。
During festive occasions, thoughts of our loved ones intensify, especially when you know that they (he or she, same for below) care deeply for you. As they age and may need your care, the inability to be there with them is a constant source of anguish. But the Lord says:
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7, NIV)
He also says:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV)
Let us, through the following prayer, practise complete surrender, keeping watch over our loved ones. Let us not only offer our best selves to the Lord but also lay bare the worries of our innermost being, allowing Christ to dwell in our hearts and transform each other’s lives.
Our Father in heaven:
Dear Lord, I thank You for the presence of ________ (his/her name) in my life! He has (brought me into this world/nurtured me/cared for me/taught me/cherished me/inspired me/encouraged me/warmed me/accompanied me/upheld me through difficulties/shared countless moments with me/let me taste the joys of life/made me feel deeply loved/ignited my passion and hope for life/become a role model in my life/…), and I am grateful for the nurturing of my life that he has provided, shaping me into who I am today.
Even though we may have had (friction/misunderstandings/heartaches/injuries…) in our relationship, our spirits remain closely connected. Thank You for the threads of connection in my heart, reminding me that no matter where we are in the world, we are not adrift without roots but share a part of each other’s lives. This bond allows us to be sure of our existence and provides warmth, enabling us to hold onto faith in any circumstance, cherishing ourselves.
Let me contemplate the grace he has received in his life (please fill in: ____________________________). Holy Spirit, help me reaffirm that he lives in the gracious hands of the Lord.
Lord, I lift up the pains of his life before You. Perhaps he is still experiencing the aftershocks of trauma, struggling on the edge of living and surviving, feeling lonely and helpless, captivated in a closed mental world, or gradually ageing with various functions declining (please fill in: _________________________). Because of this, I feel concerned and anxious.
I also place in Your hands the pain caused by our separation. I imagine that he, too, has endless concerns, regrets, or unfulfilled wishes (please fill in: _________________________). This also adds to my pain.
Lord, forgive my lack of faith, holding onto these worries incessantly. Once again I am willing to entrust him to You. Holy Spirit, often when I can let go and fully trust You, Your work will manifest. Thank You for understanding my little faith and forgiving my disbelief.
The Lord once said:
“Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 18:18 b, NIV)
In the name of Jesus Christ, I declare that God’s gracious hand never leaves __________ (name of the dear one). I ask You to release him from various life and mental bonds (please fill in prayer about his situation: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________). May he walk on the path of the Lord, experiencing more and deeper knowledge of You in the remaining days of his life, receiving Your grace and love poured out abundantly. Let our connection be deepened in the eternal Kingdom. As You healed, released, and guided me, I pray for double blessings upon him. I surrender this person in my life completely to You.
Let me bless him every day with the above prayer until the eyes of my spiritual understanding see the Lord personally leading him completely connected with the Lord. Lord, may Your promises be fulfilled, allowing us to experience release in the grace of the Lord, so that when we meet on earth, we can embrace each other with endless gratitude.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, full of grace, I pray. Amen.
(Note: This prayer is based on the sharing of a dear friend, who learned the lesson of surrender from a retired pastor.)
Photo Credit: Raymond Wong
為離散的親人摯愛禱告
每逢佳節倍思親，尤其當你知道他(或她，他們，她們，下同)對你牽腸掛肚，甚至日漸老邁，需要你在身邊照顧，而你卻無法回去，心裡總是煎熬。但主說：
「你們要把一切憂慮都卸給神，因為他顧念你們。」(彼得前書5章7節)
又說：
「應當一無掛慮，只要凡事藉著禱告、祈求和感謝，將你們所要的告訴上帝。 上帝所賜那超越人所能了解的平安，必在基督耶穌裏，保守你們的心懷意念。」(腓立比書4章6-7節，和合本修訂版)
讓我們透過以下禱文，操練完全交託的功課，以禱告守望所愛，不只把自己最美好的一面奉獻給主，也把心靈內室的憂慮全然擺上，讓基督居於我們心靈之中，轉化彼此的生命。
我們在天上的父：
親愛的主，我為我生命裡有_______而感謝祢！他曾 (把我帶到這世界上/ 養育我/ 照料我/ 教導我/ 愛護我/ 啟迪我/ 鼓勵我/ 溫暖我/ 陪伴我/ 扶持我走過困難/ 和我分享許多許多/ 讓我嚐到快樂的滋味/ 讓我感到深深被愛/ 燃起我對生命的熱情和希望/ 成為我人生的模範/…… ) ，感恩曾有他滋養過我的生命，而成為了今日的我。
縱然或許在相處當中，我們有過(磨擦/誤會/心病/傷害… )，我們的心靈仍緊緊連繫著。感謝祢，讓我心裡有這麼一絲又一絲的牽絆，讓我知道即彼此使身在何方，也不是在世上漂浮無根，而是擁有著彼此生命的一部分，這份連結使我們確知自己的存在，這份溫暖使我們能在任何境況裡抱緊信念，愛惜自己。
讓我默想他生命裡承受過的恩典 (請自行填補：_____________________________)。聖靈啊，幫助我，再一次確定他活在上主的恩手裡。
主啊，我把他生命的痛處擺在祢面前。或許他仍活在創傷後的震盪中，或許他正在生活與生存的邊緣中掙扎，或許他正感到孤單無助，或許他仍活在封閉的心靈世界裡，或許他漸漸老去，各種機能正在衰退…… (請自行補上：_______________________ ) 為此，我感到掛慮不安。
我也把我們分離所造成的傷痛交在祢手中。我料想他對我也同樣有著無盡的牽掛，或許有遺憾，或許有未了的心願。(請自行補上：_______________________ ) 這也同樣成為我的痛。
主啊，求祢赦免我的小信，心心念念的把這些掛慮抓著不放。我願意再一次把他交託給祢。聖靈啊，往往當我能放手給祢、完全信靠的時候，祢就工作了。感謝祢，祢體諒我信心微小，也赦免我的不信。
主曾說：
「凡你們在地上所釋放的，在天上也要釋放。」（馬太福音18章18節下）
奉耶穌基督的名，我宣告上帝的恩手從不離開__________(摯親的名字)，求祢把他從各種生活、心靈的奴役中釋放出來，(請填補關於他境況的禱文：__________________________________________________________________)他要走在祢的道路上，在他一生所餘的年日裡，祂要更多、更深的認識祢，經歷祢的恩典，得祢慈愛的澆灌。讓我們在永恆的國度裡深深連結。祢曾如何醫治我、釋放我、引領我，願祢加倍的賜福予他。我把我生命中的這個人，完完全全交給祢。
讓我每天藉以上禱求祝福他，直到我心靈的眼睛看見主親手拖帶他，與主完全連結。主啊，願祢成就祢的應許，叫我們在主的恩典裡同得釋放，在地相見時，能相擁感恩。
奉主耶穌基督滿有恩典的名字而求。阿們。
(筆者按：這篇禱文乃以一位摯友的分享為藍本。她從一位退休牧師學習這交託的功課後，與我分享。)
照片提供：Raymond Wong