October 13, 2021
We Just Never Know: A Prayer
O Lord, maybe I've been talking to
too many old people
like me,
but I've heard younger people
say it too,
so it's not age,
but what happens,
happens at any age,
happens to anyone,
happens without warning;
a Facebook post about a friend dying of a stroke,
then another post, another friend,
this one a fatal heart attack,
then yet another post, text, call;
all of them too young, we feel;
some of them younger than us, we realize;
many of them never once dreaming, we think;
or maybe it's something else,
a test result that makes our knees go weak,
someone with COVID dying in a day,
someone shot
in a grocery store,
on the Interstate,
at the mall;
but whatever it is
that happens,
we hear ourselves say,
we hear others say,
“We just never know;”
at least,
that's what I've heard
person after person saying of late, that
we just never know,
just never know
what might happen.
Or maybe
it does have to do with age;
when we're young,
thinking we are immune,
thinking we’ll live forever,
thinking tomorrow guaranteed, not even
thinking about what could happen,
thinking it only happens to others,
thinking it'll never happen to us,
so no need
to think about it
at all.
But,
when we're older,
can't help but think about it,
too many
spouses,
friends,
strangers;
and so,
can’t help but say,
we just never know.
That is the hard truth of it, O Lord, the truth
that we
don't know,
don't know what today holds,
don't know what tomorrow might bring.
It is the truth
the Bible tells us,
the news reminds us of,
our lives teach us.
And yet,
that's not
the whole truth,
because
the whole truth is
we just never know
when or where or in what
you will be present
giving us
the strength,
the courage,
the faith
to face
all that happens; even
present in
all that happens,
present where
we would never expect
to find you,
surprising us,
startling us,
stunning us;
we just never know,
so who knows,
who knows
if that wasn't you a couple of weeks ago
when I walked into a place on a summer’s day
only to walk out an hour later to a fall day,
suddenly
crisp breeze refreshing,
sky so blue it hurt my eyes,
bringing me alive just when
needed to be brought alive,
too much death
all around;
but then, that's fall,
coming alive when everything's dying;
and so was that
you
startling me
with life?
And the surprising call, text, email,
when things at their worst,
seeing us through;
again you?
Something of beauty
stunning us
just when things so ugly;
you, of course.
That's the whole truth of it, Lord, and so
help us,
because we just never know,
help us to
treat each day as a precious gift,
make the most of each day,
be fully alive each day,
and not
whine away, waste away, worry away the day;
to be kind,
to be thoughtful,
to make the call, send the card, text the text,
to tell those we love that we love them,
to make others glad in some way.
And help us,
because we just never know,
because who knows,
help us to
see you in the day,
see you in the beauty of a day,
see you in the unexpected kindness of others,
see you even in fearful and painful things,
see you in all that happens,
and
give thanks,
praise you,
serve you.
And we pray, O Lord, for those who know better than anyone
that we just never know,
the ill and dying and grieving and depressed
and hungry and homeless seeking a new home.
Be with them
in the very days
when they think you're not with them
and surprise them with your comforting and strengthening love,
leading them to more certain and
hope-filled days.
O Lord, we just never know.
All we know
is that you are
the one certainty we have
in our very uncertain lives and world.
Let the certainty of you
give us hope no matter what happens,
carry us through all that happens, and somehow even
grace us with joy
whatever happens.
Amen.