A Concord Pastor Comments: NIGHT PRAYER: Thursday 9/5

When things get really tough, Lord,
some folks get to wondering and worrying
   that you might have forgotten them,
   that you haven't heard their prayers,
   that you've left them to wrestle life's troubles
       all on their own...

Back in the day, Lord, in the psalms,
   three thousand years ago,
your people cried out
   How long, O Lord, how long!

Often, our cry today is the same:
   How long, O Lord?
   Haven't you heard us? Have you forgotten us?
   How long will be our suffering:

How long will you leave us in our pain?

Looking back, we see
how the psalmist lived through such times:
waiting and waiting

and waiting some more

and then coming, finally,

to trust in your unfailing love,

in the mystery of how you move

and patiently waiting - and waiting some more -
to rejoice in your faithful love

as the mystery of grace unfolds...

Help us own the depths of our pain, Lord,
   the place within from where we reach
       for your healing grace, your saving love,
           your answer to all our pleading...

Help us remember, Lord, and to trust:

    that you never abandon us,
    that you listen to our every prayer,
    that you hear our every cry,
    that you're always there
       with grace and blessing in your hand
and that in your own time,
    you'll reach down down to lift us up,
       to rescue us and free us
           from all that binds and holds us down...

How long, O Lord? How long?
Until, in your own good time
(and sometimes in your own good

       but not-so-sweet time)
   our aching hearts meet yours
       and we are healed
       and are made one
    when the promise of your saving love

is fulfilled in our own days...

Protect us, Lord, while we're awake,

   when we cry out for your help;
watch over us through the night
   after we've cried ourselves to sleep,
that awake, we might keep watch with you
   and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

I hope you'll pray through the whole of tonight's song, Psalm 13: it begins by meeting you in the depths of your troubles and then leads you to the loving arms of God - but you'll need to listen to the whole song to make that journey...

Psalm 13 by Brian Doerksen