Thursday, June 16, 2016

God in Our Sorrow

Lord,
yesterday,
I was sad.
I am still not sure
of all of the whys.

I was sad
because of
death, senseless death,
young men and women killed
in a nightclub in Orlando, FL.
I just do not understand
why life is not valued.
I really do believe what I say:
"You are a Child of God,
and I will treat you that way."
All of us, human beings,
are made in the image of God --
those who died and the one who pulled the trigger.
All the other stuff,
all the descriptors we use
are secondary.
"You are a Child of God,
and I will treat you that way."

I was sad
because of fire
in my own town;
people in my congregation are affected.
THANK YOU, LORD,
NO ONE WAS HURT.
But it has changed
how they do business.
There will be months
of repairs and rebuilding.
I saw the damage
and felt helpless.
What can a pastor do?
Lord, you know I prayed
and am still.

I was sad
because of
death, heart rending death,
of a toddler in Orlando, FL.
I can barely write the words here.
A little boy,
his parents and a brave lifeguard
wrestled with the alligator,
but could not save the son.
Awful.
I'm sick.
Never the same.
There will be lawsuits and blame and finger pointing,
but death has permanently changed our lives.


Ok, Lord,
it wasn't just yesterday.
I am still sad today.

Lord,
you who are stronger than death,
hold us
as we grieve,
as we wonder why,
as we try to make sense of a broken world.
Right now,
I cannot see,
cannot even pretend to imagine
your kingdom on earth;
I hope for it;
I work for it.
But today,
it seems so far away.

Maybe for today,
grieving and praying
are the best I can do.
So hold us close, Lord.
Hear our cries for help.
And even though it seems unlikely today,
I hold on to my faith and boldly pray:
"Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven."
Amen.

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