My joy is gone, grief is upon me, my heart is sick. Hark,
the cry of my poor people from far and wide in the land: “Is the Lord not in
Zion? Is her King not in her?”(“Why have they provoked me to anger with their
images, with their foreign idols?”)“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and
we are not saved.”
For the hurt of my poor people I am hurt, I mourn, and
dismay has taken hold of me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician
there? Why then has the health of my poor people not been restored? O that my
head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, so that I might
weep day and night for the slain of my poor people!
Have you ever felt
so overwhelmed by life and by circumstances that you just could not pray? I mean there was no way you were seeking God
in any way or asking God for anything. I
remember when I was in college and was reading and re-reading the Prophets and
the Psalms in my own personal pursuit of just how to pray through my parent’s
divorce, my roommate conflict, my homesickness, my anxiety over new courses and
new expectations, my despair over whether or not I would get into graduate
school and I discovered these authentic prayers. Turmoil, destruction, exile, isolation,
having everything (family, friends and livelihood) taken away, these folks
still prayed. They shook their
fists. They yelled. They ripped their garments in grief. They made bitter pronouncements. Yet, each of
these responses was prayer.
So today when I
learned that after a courageous four year battle with pancreatic cancer Carol
passed on into eternal life and I find myself grieving with Bruce and Kevin and
their families, I remember the prophets and I pray. When I heard of Aaron and Mia’s baby Payton
who was born at 28 weeks and who is fighting to live, I remember the prophets
and I pray. When news of the shootings, the death and the destruction at the
Naval Yard in Washington DC in light of our on-going national conflict over
guns and violence, I remember the prophets and I pray. When I listen to our debate on whether we are really called to feed, to clothe and to
care for people who are burdened by life, who struggle with meeting daily needs
and who have no resources to pick themselves up by their boot straps, I remember
the prophets and pray.
Prayer isn’t a
magical solution. Prayer doesn’t make
people well, whole or healed. Prayer
doesn’t stop violence and destruction.
Prayer doesn’t change others.
Prayer changes us. It changes our
perspective. It awakens us to the possibility
of what we can do and how we can make a difference. It reminds us that we are
not alone. It reminds us that we do in
fact have resources. It reminds us that
in relationship, we can be angry, frustrated, hurt, annoyed and still be
faithful. It reminds us that even when we
are feeling and experiencing all that life brings our way – good and hard –
that we are connected and loved.
Please join us on Sunday,
September 22 at 10:00am in Christ Church as we move more deeply into our series
on prayer. Whatever life has given you,
I pray that you will know you are loved and that you are never alone. Looking forward to seeing you in Church!
No comments:
Post a Comment