A Prayer about the Lord’s Timing

For everything there is a seasons, and a time for every matter under heaven….

A time to be born and a time to die…Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

All-Wise God, 

This is probably the most famous passage in Ecclesiastes 

to readers and non-readers of the Bible.

Enlighten us with your insight 

about this passage and about your timing. 

The Teacher who wrote these words 

seems to be frustrated by your timing: 

“What do people really get for all their hard work? 

I have seen the burden God has placed on us all” (Ecclesiastes 3:9-10). 

He sees that “”All go to one place. 

All are from dust, and to dust all return” (Ecclesiastes 3:20). 

Indeed, if this is all there is to life, 

then how “utterly meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). 

Thankfully, because of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, 

we who trust in him are living already 

in the eternity you have placed in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). 

Thankfully, because of our resurrection hope, 

we know that you are working in all times of our life, 

and that one day “soon,” 

we will dwell with you forever 

in a life multiplied by the meaning 

you wrote into your creation. 

Help us today to see your timing in all things. 

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-22. 

The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15:26

Gracious Father,

You know how deathly afraid we are of death. 

We ask for your grace and mercy 

to help us talk about death and dying, 

well before we have any inkling that we might die. 

We ask you to give us the words 

to talk about death and dying 

with friends and family members 

who are facing a terminal diagnosis. 

Help us to talk about things 

like advance directives, 

which help us to choose 

which aggressive medical measures 

we wish doctors to use 

when our bodies are shutting down 

and the hope for a cure is long past. 

Help us to educate ourselves 

on these medical measures like CPR 

which looks nothing in reality 

like it does on TV, 

or ventilators, 

which can prevent a dying person 

from uttering her last words to her loved ones. 

Help younger family members to not be frightened

when their parents want to discuss their wishes; 

help elder family members 

be willing to share their wishes 

with younger ones. 

Because our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died 

and was raised from the dead 

that we might have forgiveness of sins 

and join him in eternal glory, 

give us the courage 

to prepare for glory 

by facing our mortality. 

In Jesus’ courageous name. Amen.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:26-28; Hebrews 2:8.

To have conversations about these topics, see The Conversation Project.

To listen to hospice worker and palliative care worker, Kelly Markham, LCSW, discuss these things, go here.