April 28, 2021
It Could Have Been Written Just Yesterday: A Prayer
O Lord, it could have been written just yesterday,
the twenty-third psalm
could have been written
just yesterday,
because
what it says
it says to us
right now,
right here,
right where we are,
what it says about
wanting,
wanting whatever our hearts desire,
wanting to have it all,
American’s
true religion,
true believers believing that if they
truly believe,
believe in themselves,
(Sorry Lord, but you have a way of getting in the way),
they will have everything they
want:
money, certainly;
success, for sure;
things, of course;
the promise being:
being appreciated,
being happy (that’s the biggie),
being loved (the real biggie);
yet
nothing satisfying,
something missing,
wanting still,
and the psalm says something about that;
just as it says something about
spirits
wearied and
worn down;
and the chaos within,
no peace,
no peace
down deep inside;
and how much has gone
wrong, it seems, how much is
not right
in our lives,
our land,
our world;
and the
fearful places
our lives go through,
like we’ve been through
this past year,
death shadowing us
every step of the way,
like being in a deep
valley
some days;
and it says something about
enemies,
especially the old enemies
we’ve been battling our whole lives long,
anxieties and
dark thoughts and
insecurities and all the rest
still attacking us day after day;
and yet too,
something about
those other days, the
days when life seems so good,
days overflowing with happiness,
days of feeling full and satisfied, as if
life a joyful feast
even with
the old enemies in attendance;
and certainly,
something about
surviving,
surviving our sin and great foolishness,
surviving all that we have done to others,
all that has been done to us,
all that should have undone us,
making it to this day
because
a goodness and mercy following along with us,
surviving by grace,
surviving as a gift;
and so,
the psalm
could have been written
just yesterday
so today
it is.
O Lord, grant us the faith that is the
faith of the psalmist, the
faith
that
trusts
that we shall
not want,
never be in want of
not what we want
but what we need, and
never be in want
of what is most needed:
your presence
your love,
your forgiveness; and
lead us to
still, quiet places
where we are refreshed and restored and renewed; and
guide us,
guide our nation,
guide our world,
along right paths,
paths of righteousness and justice and truth; and
walk with us
through the evil and violence and darkness
that stalks us so many days,
casting out our fears,
comforting us,
calming us,
in the midst of all that threatens; and
anoint us
with gladness,
fill us
with hope
overflowing,
reconcile us
to one another and all people so that
enemies no longer enemies, and
and we can sit down together in peace; and may
your grace and mercy
accompany us
all our days.
And we pray, O Lord, that as we get out more and more
and feel more and more normal,
we would not forget those for whom life is
anything but normal,
those who are
still battling the virus; or
still struggling to find work and money enough for
food and a place to live; or
still grieving the loss of someone they loved; or
still trying to make it through a
tough school year; or
still suffering from depression or weariness.
Let us remember them
and pray that
healing, strength, comfort, assistance, support would come.
O Lord, shepherd us,
shepherd us,
your rather silly creatures,
shepherd us home
at the last
to dwell with you
forever.
O Lord, shepherd us unto life eternal!
Amen.