As we are always astonished by good we are equally gobsmacked by evil.
We are never ready for the trauma, spectacle, and assault to our senses at seeing the acts of terrorism and war.
We want evil to be crushed quickly. We desire the perpetrators of atrocities destroyed. We want victims of attacks to receive justice for their suffering.
Arise oh God, in all your power move for all suffering, attacked or harassed people, nations. and groups! Endow us with the clarity of vision, the unity of purpose, and the power of our collective resources to dispel, displace, and destroy the enemies of your purpose and love for us all.
Let not opportunistic politicians seize upon one of the simplistic narratives of ethnic cleansing, religious hatred, and moral relativism. Let them neither enflame tribalism nor encourage a muted response to evil.
At this moment, our hands are much more powerful than our hearts and heads can reasonably guide. Oh God, give us your wisdom. Oh, God, give us your strength. Let our hands raise in fists. Wipe weeping eyes. Tend to the wounded. Vote for the wise.
For all those who have been attacked and suffering we pray. We pray for Israel, attacked by Hamas, Ukraine, attacked by Russia, Nigeria, attacked by Boko Haram, and others who were attacked by terrorists - we pledge our efforts, resources, and prayers.
So we worship now as an act of faith, desperation, and inspiration. We worship to work through the trauma of funerals that should not have happened. We worship to contemplate the inconsolable tears and the understandable fears that inhabit the world. We worship to remind ourselves not to become the collateral damage of terrorism and carriers of hatred and indiscriminate violence in our personal lives, public politics, and family circles. We worship because, when our hearts are filled with such pain and emotion our hands can not trusted. But, you are always trustworthy. Come all and worship in the beauty of brokenness
Comments