Author Archives: Michael Summers
Praying for Confidence
The Psalm that inspired me most when I started reading through the Bible regularly as a twelve-year-old several decades ago was Psalm 27. Its first words sparked confidence in a gangly, unsure preteen, and continue to do so for the … Continue reading
Preparing to Pray
How well do we prepare to worship God? How do we prepare to pray? I have heard many stories of families arguing bitterly on the way to a place of worship, only to emerge from their vehicles with smiles and … Continue reading
Praying after Riots in the Capitol
Events in the Capitol building and its surroundings shocked me this past week. Along with reacting to those events, I remembered happier moments from 1977 and 1978 when I sang with a college choir on the Ellipse outside the White … Continue reading
Praying After Recognizing a Need
Originally posted on Call for Fire Seminar:
When the tragic events of September 11, 2001, unfolded, they stunned an unprepared nation as centers of business and the military were attacked with great loss of life. In response, if only for…
A Prayer for 2021
As a chaotic 2020 nears its end, I invite you to reflect on seven petitions from a psalm of David, Psalm 25. These ancient words still resonate, for they speak our pleas as we reflect on the year just past … Continue reading
Staying Disciplined in Prayer and Running
When I was 26 or 27 years old, I decided that I wanted to start running to improve my fitness. Since it was a mile from my home to my office, I resolved to run from my home to work … Continue reading
Praying with Faith during Battle
To what genre of scripture do you turn to learn about prayer? The Psalms include many prayers, and from them we learn much about prayer, about God, and about the faith of the writers/singers who penned those prayer-psalms. Prophets like … Continue reading
Prayer during Election Uncertainty
The uncertainty leading up to the Presidential election drove many to their knees in prayer, regardless of political affiliation. For many conservative Christians, concern for the unborn and convictions about marriage or sexuality informed their prayers. For some of them, … Continue reading
Let the Whole Church Pray…
Several preachers among Churches of Christ have put together an online event for today called “Let the Whole Church Pray.” You can read about it here. The event’s page calls for Christians to pray for our nation (the United States … Continue reading
Praying for Survival
Can you name a place in the Bible that received its name because some prayed there? When you think of a biblical judge (or leader in the book of Judges) who was a prayer warrior, who comes to mind? Gideon … Continue reading
