Cleaning up the files today, I ran across this prayer that I used for The Prayers of the People recently (when the preacher was teaching on "Hope.") I'm sure I stole much of it from Brueggeman, but I don't have the source that inspired me (if you don't have it, his Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth is incredible.) Tonight, sitting around a warm fire and pondering the uncertainty and fear that surrounds us today, it seemed like an appropriate time to post this.
Our Reality and Your Creation
Our reality and your creation...
A place and time
where our hunger, want and greed exhausts and pollutes your world
where our struggles to be on top push others so far down that food and shelter and clothing just might escape their grasp
where our struggles to be on top isolate us
from listening to your call
from discerning your will
from acting on your desires.
Our reality and your creation...
A place where locked doors and strong walls separate
your people
your families
and your church.
A place designed by us to
insulate
protect
and defend
rather than
build
and share
and love.
This is our reality and your creation...
A place and time
where the scientists give us weapons of mass destruction
and religious leaders of all stripes drum up emotion and discord sufficient that they just might get used
This is our reality and your creation...
And yet, you speak words like
grace
faith
and somehow even hope.
A hope built on resurrection.
A hope built on the stories of your people
A people who have known
tragedy
pain
and despair.
A people who have known
aimless wandering
deep divisions
impatient discernment
and impetulent disobedience.
But, a people who, despite all of that, have for generations
acknowledged your presence
sought your will
filled your temple with praises
and who, for generations, have been accompanied by your spirit.
This is our reality, and your creation.
Like the best of those faithful generations who came before us,
may we place our trust not in the scientists or the religious institutions
may we place our trust not in wealth or power or our own achievement
may we place our trust not in a world of our own design
but may we place our hope in a living, loving, trustworthy, re-creating and resurrecting God
who came and walked among us in Jesus the Christ.
And may that hope bring with it practices of
justice
mercy
faith
...and yes, even more hope.
Through your hope,
may our tears be more than pain and suffering
may they be struggle and journey
may our sweat be more than aimless toil
may it bring hope to the hopeless
and may our faith be more than intellectual assent
may it be a life-giving way of being and doing
And may hope abound, here and now, tomorrow and forever.
Alleluia. Amen.
Comments