Here
is a prayer of lament and petition inspired by Psalm 42. It was written by Christine Jerrett.
Prayer
(based on Psalm 42)
We
have come into your presence
singing your praise, O God,
and we are grateful for all your goodness to us.
singing your praise, O God,
and we are grateful for all your goodness to us.
Yet,
even as we sing,
we are conscious that there are so few of us.
we are conscious that there are so few of us.
We
remember those times when this place was full;
when the halls rang out the praise of hundreds of feet
hurrying off to Sunday School;
when there was no room in the parking lot.
when the halls rang out the praise of hundreds of feet
hurrying off to Sunday School;
when there was no room in the parking lot.
You
know the grief in our hearts
that those days are past.
You know the questions that haunt us
wondering what we could have done differently.
that those days are past.
You know the questions that haunt us
wondering what we could have done differently.
You
know the yearnings,
the deep yearnings,
to hear your voice,
to perceive your presence,
to be led by your Spirit
into the joy and energy of your new creation.
the deep yearnings,
to hear your voice,
to perceive your presence,
to be led by your Spirit
into the joy and energy of your new creation.
But,
for now,
we hold on to your promises.
we hold on to your promises.
You
have promised that there will be a day
when blind eyes will be opened
and deaf ears unstopped
so that your Word will be heard and heeded.
when blind eyes will be opened
and deaf ears unstopped
so that your Word will be heard and heeded.
You
have promised a day when God’s people
will again rejoice and be glad and laugh
at the wonders you have worked in our midst.
will again rejoice and be glad and laugh
at the wonders you have worked in our midst.
You
have promised that your light will shine in the darkness
and the darkness will not overcome it.
and the darkness will not overcome it.
So,
giver of all good things,
Redeemer of all people,
Giver of hope and energy and new community,
we choose to trust your promises.
We choose to live in hope in you alone.
Redeemer of all people,
Giver of hope and energy and new community,
we choose to trust your promises.
We choose to live in hope in you alone.
We
fix our eyes on you
and open our hearts and minds and spirits
to your Spirit’s guiding presence.
and open our hearts and minds and spirits
to your Spirit’s guiding presence.
This
we ask,
that you will give us courage
to receive the newness you are, even now,
creating in our world,
through the grace of Jesus, our Word,
by which you make all things new. Amen.
that you will give us courage
to receive the newness you are, even now,
creating in our world,
through the grace of Jesus, our Word,
by which you make all things new. Amen.
~
written by Christine Jerrett, and posted on Christine Jerrett: Reflections on being the church in God’s new
creation. http://christinejerrett.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/a-prayer-based-on-psalm-42/
