Charles Conkin | September 22, 2015
Save me, O God, by your name, and vindicate me by your might. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For the insolent have risen against me, the ruthless seek my life; they do not set God before them. Selah, Listen! But surely, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
—Psalm 54:1-4
O God, who is the upholder of life,
We gather this morning with the same lament of the psalmist. Save me! Vindicate us! Our enemies are in pursuit. Where is your might? Where are you when we know many in our world suffer under the control and oppression of hateful people?
We know it well, O God. Over the pasted weeks, we have seen the rise in refugees escaping the desolation and violence of Syria. A struggle they have faced for years, that now has become a global focus.
We pray for the more than 400,000 refugees who have crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Europe this year, and for those nearly 3,000 who have died or gone missing as they sought asylum.
This morning, we pray for those throughout the world who search for safety. Lord, hear our prayers.
O God,
Our hearts are heavy with the awareness that in four years of brutal war in that nation, tens-of thousands have been killed and half of the Syrian population forced from their homes. Millions are on journey to lands of promise. Places of welcome. But the road is difficult and long. The waves are large and untamed. And borders are sharp with fences and wire.
This morning, we pray for those on the road seeking sanctuary. Lord, hear our prayers.
O God, this morning we remember our call to be servants. For it is easy to point the finger of blame; to demonize those whose opinions differ from our own; to seek simple solutions to complex problems; to move through our everyday lives untouched by and unconcerned by the needs of our sisters and brothers throughout this world.
This morning, we pray for ourselves. May our minds and hearts be opened as we seek your wisdom. Lord, hear our prayers.
O God, surely you are our helper; you are the upholder of life.
Amen
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