“Come, Lord Jesus!” Maranatha! What a perfect arrow prayer, regardless of the circumstances, in joy or in sorrow, in delight or despair. Come, Lord Jesus, Maranatha, rejoice with us in the birdsong awakening the new day. Delight with us in the glory of the sunrise and sunsets over mountain and plain, beach and desert. Join us in enjoying the wind and rain, the starry night, the waxing and waning of the moon, “the galaxies in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home.” Maranatha is our prayer when we are afraid, when fear takes over, and we panic. Envelope us with your peace. Let us experience the security of your embrace. Enable us to trust that underneath are the everlasting arms, that under the shadow of your wings we can find refuge. Maranatha, when our hearts are filled with gratitude for all the blessings that come our way, when we know the abundance of your love, when we experience the surprise and delight of your synchronicity, when we recognize answered prayer, especially when the answer was not what we had expected. Maranatha, when we are hurt, when we feel rejected, abandoned, betrayed. Surround us with your love. Lift us into the light of your presence. Enable us to forgive those at the source of our distress so that we may be free of the heavy burden of unforgiveness and may offer the healing balm of forgiveness to others. Maranatha, comfort us when we are sad, when we are grieving over some loss in our lives. Strengthen us to face each new day with courage and perseverance. Awaken hope in our hearts that we may know deep within our being that there is light at the end of this tunnel of darkness in which we find ourselves. Maranatha, celebrate with us when we truly realize that nothing can separate us from the love of God, when we come to recognize your transforming hand at work in our lives, when we experience the fruits of the Spirit growing in us day by day, when we accept our call to be co-creators with you. Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!