A Concord Pastor Comments: NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 9/15

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...

They cry out:
   How long, O Lord?
   How long will you forget us?
   How long will you leave us in our pain?

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

And looking back we see, Lord,
how the psalmist answered his own prayer:
waiting and waiting and waiting some more
and then coming to trust in your unfailing love,
his heart rejoicing in your faithful goodness...

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...

You never forget us, Lord,
you never abandon us,
you listen to our every prayer,
you hear our every cry,
you are always there
with grace and blessing in your hand,
and, in your own time,
reaching 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
(sometimes in your own good but not-so-sweet time)
my aching heart meets yours
and I am healed
and we are one
and the promise of your saving love
is mine...

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake,
   when I cry out for your help;
watch over me through the night
   after I've cried myself to sleep,
that awake, I 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