Here’s a lovely prayer by John van de Laar inspired by Numbers 21: 4-9 (the story of the bronze serpent lifted up to heal the Israelites in the wilderness) and John 3: 14-21 (where Jesus makes a link between the lifting up of that serpent and his own upcoming crucifixion).
Looking Up
(inspired by Numbers 21: 4-9; John 3: 14-21)
Too often, too easily, our eyes are drawn down, God,
to the suffering of victims
and the pain of perpetrators,
to the wounds we inflict on others
and the wounds we inflict on ourselves.
We need to see these things and pray,
But, we also need our eyes to be lifted, God,
to the signs of your life among us,
to the touch of your healing on our souls,
to the cross that casts its liberating shadow
across all human affairs.
We need our eyes to be lifted, God,
so our hearts may be filled with faith
and hope
and love
Amen.
— written by John van de Laar, and posted on his excellent Sacredise website. Visit there for many other excellent lectionary-based worship resources.
For more prayer resources on this blog, see the Scriptural Index of Prayers at the upper right side of the page.
