Precious Lord, take my hand.
Lead me on, let me stand.
I am tired, I am weak, and worn.
Precious Lord, there are times when the news of the world – your world – seems only to abuse and abase us, when it seems indeed to assault us. When a large clump of the Mont Blanc glacier in Italynears collapse, when scientific review of the data show the oceans suffering as never before from climate change, the very earth seems to shudder with destruction. At the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, USA, the leaders of the world appear unable to prioritize our duty to care for creation above our fascination with making money. Indeed, we are tired, we are weak, and we are worn.
Yet these are circumstances of our own making in many cases. These are circumstances where we have been gifted with the minds and abilities we need to protect the earth and everything therein. Lead us on, let us stand where we ought to stand.
We believe that our inheritance is in your image. Our prayer is not of something you don’t understand. Our prayer is to share more generously of your understanding. Our prayer is to have more of your strength in confronting what we need to confront, in meeting whatever grief we must with compassion for those who suffer and those who love them. Our prayer is struggling to build up the individuals and communities who all belong to you.
When our way grows drear, Precious Lord, linger near with forgiveness for our inevitable failures to prevent what we should have prevented and with compassion for our hope that you will correct all those things that should long since have been corrected.
When we stand at the river of the decision, when we face final judgments on how we have used this blessed life you entrusted to us, when the light of life is extinguished in us, we pray that you accept us in spite of our imperfections.
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand, Precious Lord, lead me home.
Amen.
Editor’s note: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” lyrics by the Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey
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