January 6, 2021
What Do I Pray on Wednesday? A Prayer
O Lord, as I sit here on Monday I wonder,
what do I pray on Wednesday?
It's a day before the Georgia Senate runoff,
two days before
Congress votes to certify a president,
and I want to pray
that we finally move on,
come together,
heal,
but how can I
because
no one knows
what's going to happen,
the runoff might run on and on,
the only thing certified might be that
politicians are certifiable,
the only thing
we do know
is it there will be
contention,
controversy,
chaos,
no matter what happens;
it's the one certainty in our life today,
that no matter
what is determined, decided, done,
there will be
contention,
controversy,
chaos;
it's our
new way of life,
no
conversation,
cooperation,
compromise,
no
certainty,
the only certainty,
uncertainty.
And the coronavirus?
It's on a rampage
worse than ever,
claiming a life every minute,
racing toward 400,000 deaths and more,
continuing to claim businesses and jobs,
the vaccine rollout
more like a crawl-out,
and you guessed it,
contention,
controversy,
chaos,
(Hey, it's no big deal),
(It’s not real),
(Do whatever you feel),
no certainty,
only uncertainty.
And relief
for people and businesses
struggling, up against it, desperate for assistance?
All together now:
contention,
controversy,
chaos;
politicians who are
well heeled,
well paid,
well fed,
playing politics
with people’s lives,
no word of
concern,
comfort,
compassion,
leaving people uncertain,
wondering how they’ll survive.
And yes, Lord, I know I’m going on and on
like I often do,
but I’m
fed up,
angry,
tired,
not sure what to say,
what to pray.
O Lord, the best I can do,
the best I can come up with,
is to pray
that you grace us with
the certainty
of your presence,
the certainty
of your love,
the certainty
of your peace,
so that we can manage
the uncertainty and chaos
of these days.
And pray
that no matter
what our differences
we find a way to
talk
with one another again,
trust
one another again,
treat
one another
with respect again,
and come together
for the sake of our nation, the children, the future.
And pray too
that we do
move on
toward
healing and hope.
O Lord, maybe it's only when it comes close to home,
as it has with some of us,
that we realize just how
dangerous and deadly and devastating
the coronavirus is.
Give us
the sense and strength
not to let our guard down
but continue to do all we need to do to protect
others and ourselves.
And we pray for
those suffering with the virus,
the health care workers worn out caring for them,
those who are mourning those they have lost,
business owners and employees out of work
who despair,
all those isolated and depressed.
Heal them, refresh them, console them, assist them,
lift them!
And move us
to continue to do what we can
to help them,
and move leaders
to quit playing around
and do what they should.
O Lord, truly you are a very present help in trouble,
a help that never fails,
and about that
there is
no contention,
no controversy,
no chaos or uncertainty,
at least not for me,
because
about that
I am certain.
Amen.
