Downton Abbey is an award-winning TV drama that chronicles the experiences of the Crawleys, an aristocratic family with legions of servants living in the early 1900s. In the first series World War I has just begun and Matthew Crawley has been commissioned to the battlefield. In one moving scene, Lady Mary, Matthew Crawley's love interest, is kneeling beside her bed with a picture of Matthew lying on the bed before her. When Mary's sister Edith enters the room unexpectedly, Mary quickly slides the picture under the bed sheets and stands to her feet.

"What do you want?" Mary asks Edith. "I think I left my book in here." Mary retrieves Edith's book and asks, "Is that all?" "You were praying." Edith remarks."Don't be ridiculous." Mary replies, rolling her eyes.

"You were praying!" Edith says with shock and disbelief. "What are you praying for?" Edith inquires. Mary says, "Please go. I'm tired." Edith exits the room and Mary resumes her position of prayer.

"Dear Lord," Mary prays, "I don't pretend to have much credit with you. I'm not even sure that you're there." (The camera focuses on the picture of Matthew that lies before Mary). "But if you are there, and if I've ever done anything good," (the camera now pans the battlefield), "I beg you to keep him safe."

This scene can be found at: Season 2, Part One, Disc 1, Section 7/8. The scene begins 1:01:41 and ends at 1:02:51.

Possible Preaching Angles: Praying in Jesus' name—We don't come to God the Father on the basis of our own goodness. We only come on the merits of Jesus Christ.