Wednesday, August 19, 2020
O Lord, Send Us the Miracle We Need! A Prayer
O Lord, it’s just not the same,
at least for me
it’s not the same,
emailing not,
texting not,
even calling not,
and that goes for
Facebook and Face Time and Yahoo and Zoom;
yet thankful
because
these ways are the only ways
people have today to
see, or
speak to, or
support
those they love who are hospitalized or
in assisted-living or a nursing home;
and the only ways
congregations have, friends have, even families have to
stay in touch,
stay connected,
stay close;
and yet still,
for me,
it’s just not the same.
Because it’s
not face to face,
not actually there with someone,
not really talking with someone
as if you were there,
not really real somehow,
not being there made all the worse,
the hug you cannot give,
the touch you cannot feel,
the hand you cannot
hold.
I want to
see someone in person,
sit with someone in person,
speak with someone in person!
Because
preaching to pews peopled with pictured people,
tapping tiny type on a tiny telephone,
visiting viewing videos,
is just not the same,
at least not
for me.
O Lord, maybe it’s because I’m
getting old
(okay, am old),
that I cannot help but think
we are in the
mess
we are in
because
we have forgotten
how to
communicate with others face to face,
talk with others in person,
sit down with others in the same room and have
a conversation,
a chat,
a chinwag;
communication now confrontation,
everyone demanding to be heard,
no one willing to listen,
everyone happy to declare their opinions
no one willing to discuss their opinions,
everyone talking at each other,
no one willing to talk with each other
(unless they already agree);
but no point
in even trying,
people
flaring the minute they begin (or you begin),
fuming before you know it (or they know it),
fury fueling them (or maybe you);
or people
afraid to say a word,
suddenly a friend no longer a friend,
families no longer family-like,
but then
friendship, even family,
not as important as
being right,
proving the other wrong,
politics.
I know I’m rambling, Lord
(some of us old people do),
but the thing is,
I’m worried,
really worried,
more than worried,
because
there will be little or no peace in our land,
little or no hope for our land,
little or no purpose to our land,
unless we learn to
communicate with one another,
sit down together as fellow human beings,
see one another as we are,
say what needs to be said
hear one another,
listen, and
work together.
But the thing is,
politicians aren’t going to do it,
protestors and police can’t do it by themselves,
people can’t do it alone;
only together
can it be done.
But the thing is, Lord,
even then,
it’s going to take
a miracle
to get it done.
O Lord, send us
the miracle
we need,
send us
the Spirit
to work the miracle of
communication,
the miracle of being able to
speak with people who speak a different language
(you know, like Republicans and Democrats do);
speak with people who come from a different place
(like just down the block maybe);
speak with people who have different views
(like protestors and police do maybe);
and understand one another.
Send us
the Spirit
to get us to
sit down together
(or sit on us until we do),
shut up and listen
(not just want to jump in),
stop needing to always be right
(we just might learn something new),
start building bridges of forgiveness and understanding,
stand up together, speak out together, serve together
for the sake of the children,
this land,
peace;
send us
the Spirit
to put a new spirit
of love and faith and courage within us,
the very Spirit
of Christ.
O Lord, people are bored,
tired of sheltering in place,
on edge and anxious to get back to living,
back to some sense of normalcy,
some sense of sanity.
And so, grace us with the
patience and perseverance and pertinacity
we need
to survive these days,
to not do stupid,
but smart,
and safe.
And let us not go numb to those who are
battling the virus,
caring for them,
grieving the loss of someone to it,
and those who
have no idea what they’re going to do,
where the rent or food money will come from,
worry about their children going back to school.
Heal them! Sustain them! Comfort them!
And move us, move leaders,
to help!
O Lord, it’s going to take a miracle
to get us out of
the mess we’re in!
Send us
the miracle
we need!
So that we start seeing the miracle of people
who disagree
agree
to actually have a
conversation.
Amen.
