Luke 11:1-13.
How should we pray
in times like these?
Creator,
I want a straight answer.
We hear of so many places in our world
up in flames,
people forced to flee their homes.
We see what's happening
to the children of Gaza.
We know about the drone-bombs in Ukraine.
We taste the heartache and exhaustion
of those whose loved ones are ill
or waiting for care beds.
We feel angered
by the injustice towards displaced people
all over the world
-- and now,
in our ministry,
as we lose our worship space
to the Alberta government's Navigation Centre
(a space they certainly won't be inhabiting
on any Sunday mornings).
My heart breaks for everything
and everyone,
but especially for D.,
whose strong anger at injustice
possibly pushed him to go too far
and take a life.
Are you there,
Creator?
Are you listening?
Be with your displaced people.
Help those of us who are not displaced
to step forward in love and action.
Help us to pray,
to trust that you are listening
and that you come to our aid
even when we feel bereft,
even when so little
seems to be going right.
+Amen.
(Inner City Pastoral Ministry will move across the street to a much smaller space this week. Please keep the Community of Emmanuel in your prayers as we adjust to our new digs...)
