Life-Altering Plans 

Our friend Morgan Burge is leading prayer time this morning, guided by the daily calendar from Dominique Gilliard.

“A prayer for those who have had to alter their plans for life-changing events like weddings, funerals, and births.” April 20

Let’s pray together.

Lord, as we pictured these significant events in our lives, we never could have imagined that they would turn out this way. We anticipated rain, wedding crashers, and family drama but not a global pandemic that’s altering life as we know it. Images in our minds of our bridesmaids fastening our wedding dresses, of laying lilies on our grandfathers’ graves, of flipping our tassels from right to left, of pushing out babies with our mothers’ by our sides— evaporated in moments when COVID-19 began decimating our communities.  

The joy, the community, the laughter, the sorrowful tears that we expected to share, we now experience alone. It’s heavy, Lord. We feel like we have lost so much in such a short amount of time— money spent on venues that won’t be used, time spent planning events that won’t be attended, energy spent dreaming about moments that will never come to pass. 

We need to know that these losses matter to you too, God. Sometimes we feel silly and selfish crying over cancellations when people are suffering and dying all around us. But Lord, no tear we shed goes unseen by you. No disappointment we experience is too minuscule for your comforting arms. 

We are not the only ones who have experienced unforeseen circumstances in the middle of significant life-changing events. Jesus’ birth was the epitome of a life-changing event cloaked in unpredictability and displacement. 

First, Mary became pregnant unexpectedly, young and out of wedlock. I’m sure she wondered if her fiance Joseph would leave her to be a single mother raising the Christ Child alone. I’m sure she heard the whispers of people in her community gossiping about her as her baby bump grew. Not the engagement she’d dreamt of having.

Then, she delivered her baby in a manger, livestock serving as their innkeepers for the night. A strange and undesirable place to have her firstborn child. Not the birth she’d dreamt of having. 

Mary’s discomfort continued as she was forced to flee her country. She became a refugee in Egypt doing everything she could to save the life of the Messiah. I can picture her and Joseph looking over their shoulders for years, hoping they would never be found by King Herod, who wanted their son dead. Not the motherhood she’d dreamt of having. 

Finally, she chose to raise their child in Nazareth out of fear that Herod’s son, who now reigned in his father’s place, would find them and finish what his father started. I can imagine them having to adjust to yet another new town. Not the life she’d dreamt of having. 

Yet, the Lord was with Mary, Joseph and Jesus in the messiness of their unpredictable circumstances. Lord, you fortified them with prophecies from your Scriptures. You guided them with dreams, visions, and angelic visitations. You encouraged them through well-timed words from strangers and friends.

Lord, cover us with your Holy Spirit, a blanket over us in times of mourning. Gift us strength to embrace unexpected changes and to make meaningful memories in our new situations.

May Psalm 126 bring you hope as you alter your plans for life-changing events. 

“When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.” Psalm 126 

God, restore our fortunes. Fill our mouths with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Let the nations say, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 

We leave behind our plans, weeping over what we have lost. May we find hope in your promises to revive our joy. Fill our hearts with abundance. We wait on your promise God. Restore what the enemy has stolen from us! 
Christ’s blood, shed for us, His body, broken for us. Let us remember that we worship a God who does not simply watch our pain from afar. Our God came to dwell among us and within us. Jesus lived a human life filled with altered plans and difficult goodbyes. Christ will never leave us, nor forsake us. Take confidence in this and stand firm in God’s promises. Amen.

Artwork: "Mother of God" by  Alexis Tsegba / “Pra que me chamas” by Mariana Sguilla

Music: I’ve Never Seen The Righteous (Live)- Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers // Faithful Is Our God- Hezekiah Walker // Psalm 126 (feat. Molly Parden)- Bifrost Arts

Prayer Requests: https://forms.gle/n8SXo2TbySX3T2iE6

COVID-19 Prayer Calendars from Dominique Gilliard

About the Author: Morgan Burge is Associate Area Director, Metro Atlanta of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and serves as a campus minister at the Atlanta University Center (Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University) and Morris Brown College. She is pursuing a Master of Divinity/ Master of Arts in Practical Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband Brandon. When she isn’t working or studying, you can find her hosting a party, having brunch with her girlfriends, or talking about her love of Atlanta.

Follow Morgan on Facebook and Instagram at @morgan.burge.