Here’s
a prayer of approach inspired, in part, by Psalm 22:1 and Habakkuk 1: 1-4. It was written by Rev. John Harvey, and
posted on Starters for Sunday.
Prayer of Approach
(inspired by Psalm
22:1, Habakkuk 1: 1-4)
Living
God,
we
come to you now,
in
wonder.
We
have heard of your works -
as
Creator, Upholder, In-dweller,
Lover
of all –
and
we have known you
in
our own times,
in
our own lives,
in
the lives of our neighbours.
Before
the mystery
of
your presence all around
and
within,
it
is right for us to be silent,
and
to offer thanks and praise.
Optional sung
response, like “Be still and know that I am God.”
But,
living God,
we
also come to you
in
anger and despair.
We
look out,
and
see children dying of hunger,
see
nations torn apart by war,
see
greed and corruption blighting
the
lives of millions.
And
we look within,
and
see our complicity in much of this,
see
our compromised lives,
see
our broken hearts,
our
broken promises;
and
before the mystery of evil rampant
and
injustice unpunished,
we
ask, “Where were you, God,
when
all this went so wrong?”;
hear
us as lift our voices to you
and
cry
“O
God, why have you abandoned us?”
In
silence, then,
before
the mystery
both
of your presence and of your absence,
we
wait upon you now.
Optional sung
response, like “Be still and know that I am God.”
~
written by Rev. John Harvey, and posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website. http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/
