Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away… Revelation 21:1
There are days and times, Holy God, when our wish for a new earth is almost overwhelming; days and times when, as we look around this old earth, we can see only brokenness and sorrow, war and violence. And what do we do with that, Loving God, but turn to you and utter our often-helpless prayers, asking you to hear and help.
- With mounting frustration, we pray for the Syrian peace talks which flounder around disputes over forming a transitional government.
- With sorrow, we pray about the recent renewed violence between South Sudan and Ethiopia, with more than 200 killed and over 100 children abducted.
- With ever-deepening grief, we pray for the nearly 500 Syrian refugees who have died in a shipwreck in the Mediterranean, as they were attempting to sail from Libya to Italy.
- With heavy hearts, we pray for the tens of thousands of refugees trapped along the border of Turkey.
- With confusion and doubt, we pray for all of the candidates and the voters in the increasingly contentious presidential primary race in the United States.
Yet, in the midst of all these things we do not understand, things which sadden and confuse and dismay us, we hear these words of promise and hope:
The home of God is among mortals. God will deal with them; and they will be the people of God, and God’s own self will be with them, wiping every tear from their eyes.
And living in that promise, dwelling in that hope, we raise tear-filled eyes and offer prayers of thanks for the good news which is appearing in places far and wide:
- for Ouch Leng, an environmentalist from Cambodia, who has been working long and faithfully to stop loggers from destroying his country’s forests.
- that justice is prevailing as 3 government officials in Flint, Michigan, US, have been charged in the water crisis which has deeply effected that city.
- for the aid workers who have already rushed to Equador and Japan to bring help and hope to those affected by the recent earthquakes.
- that the Ethiopian army is in the process of trying to rescue the 100 kidnapped children.
- for the commitment, faith, dedication and service to the people of the UK and Ireland and the Commonwealth shown by Queen Elizabeth II over almost 65 years. During her reign there have been 12 US presidents. May her example inspire us when we grow tired of working for good, God and our world.
Through it all, through what we see and experience as both good and bad, joy filled and painful, we hear these words of promise and hope:
The home of God is among mortals. God will deal with them; and they will be the people of God, and God’s own self will be with them, wiping every tear from their eyes.
Through it all, we turn to you in our helplessness, Gracious God, certain that you do hear, you do heal, you do love, and that is the great Good News. Amen and amen.
I include in my prayers the numerous Christian congregations doing ministry and witness day in and day out throughout the world. The local church with connections among regional and international congregations is doing marvelous works in the name of Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God.