Today is All Saints Day, a day when we are called to remember all the saints, known and unknown, who have gone before us. Honestly All Saints Day has never meant much to me in the past. It was just the day after Halloween and I didn’t think much about it. But, this morning as I drank my tea and watched my son play, I started to meditate a bit on All Saints Day. There is something very encouraging about remembering all of the many people who have followed God before me. They were in some ways normal people just like me, many of them had the same struggles that I have, and I imagine that some of them even had the same doubts that plague me. But, they pressed on and by faith obeyed and followed God. That is very encouraging to me. So, today I celebrate All Saints Day and thank God for the Saints who have walked before me to show me the way.

Prayer for All Saints Day:

God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, you have called many by faith and they have followed. May we lean into their example and follow you into the unknown.

God of Moses and all the Isrealites, in your strength many have chosen to shun the pleasures of sin and the treasures of the world. May their example encourage us to seek first your kingdom, the only kingdom that truly lasts.

God of the judges, through your wisdom many have sought after and fought for justice. May we fearlessly follow their example and do the same.

God of prophets and prostitutes, you come to the powerful and the broken alike, once touched each speaks your truth bravely. May we remember from their example that your presence levels the playing field and brings truth to all areas of darkness.

God of the disciples, you stirred hearts and men left everything they had ever known before to be near you. May we see their example and chase hard after you.

God of all the saints, both known and unknown, in faith many have given up all they had, to gain what could never be taken away. in faith many have left their homes, to seek their true home with you. in faith many have praised you through trials, tribulations and heartache, because they know your love. In faith many have loved when they could have hated, fought for justice when they could have walked away, and spoken up when they could have remained silent. in faith many have accepted persecution, mistreatment, and even death. May their example be for us a light in all our dark places causing us to cling to you in all things just as they have done before us.

God of All, You have surrounded us by a great cloud of witnesses, we are not alone and many have walked the paths we now walk. We thank you for each of them and pray that you would be near to us just as you have been near to them.

Amen.

If you are interested in another prayer for All Saints Day here is a truly wonderful prayer for All Saints Day written by the wonderful Christine Sine.

Rejoicing in the journey - Bethany Stedman