I see You and Your work as I see the sun behind and through the clouds

Gracious Lord, how my eyes long to see You

and Your work in my life and the world around me.

Guard me from attempting to satisfy my longing by my own reason or senses.

Grant that when I hear and see Your Word rightly taught,

Your absolution freely declared,

Your sacraments rightly administered,

and Your will rightly done –

I may boldly say,

“This day I have seen God’s Word and God’s work!

I have heard God Himself!

I have seen God’s hands at work as He baptized,

as He fed me and others with the body and blood of His Son!”

When I am tempted to doubt Your presence and Your work 

because of the mask You have chosen,

blind my earthly eyes

and give sight to my eyes of faith,

that I may see You and receive You in all Your saving work.

Grant that I may never seek to separate You and Your Work

from Your Word or the offices You have chosen for me as my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Sanctifier.

Console me and all believers with the understanding that when I am brought to heaven’s shores -

I will see and behold You and Your work

without masks and coverings that now protect me from the fullness of Your glory.

For now, allow that I, my brothers and my sisters in the faith

may stand in the place that You have chosen for me.

I see You and Your work as I see the sun behind and through the clouds.

To this end, grant that inasmuch as I long to have and behold You in heaven,

I may have and behold You through Your chosen masks

which are the mission, substance and work of Christianity –

the Word rightly proclaimed and Your Sacraments rightly administered in Your Church.

If ever I would like to rightly know how it is between me and You, my Lord,

and whether my way pleases You,

grant that I may pay close attention to Your Word and Your works in all their fullness.

This I ask and pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

- pmwl