Presbyterian poet Ann Weems paints a beautiful picture of redemption with her poetry. She writes out of an experience of significant loss in her own life, and her work touches the deep places of heartache, faith, and hope. She draws heavily on the scriptures. I share with you now a few verses from her book, the Psalms of Lament.

“In the quiet times this image comes to me: Jesus weeping.

Jesus wept, and in his weeping he joined himself forever to those who mourn.

‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.’

Someday. Someday God will wipe the tears from Rachael’s eyes.

In the godforsaken, obscene quicksand of life,

there is a deafening alleluia rising from the souls of those who weep,

and of those who weep with those who weep.

If you watch, you will see the hand of God putting the stars back in their skies one by one.”

Let us pray:  Sometimes it feels as though life is falling apart, O God. We don’t always understand why things happen the way they do. But we have to trust that you are good. We have to trust that you are present in our pain and suffering. And we have to trust that you are already at work to heal and make whole again.

We pray today especially for those who have recently lost a loved one, and for all those who mourn a loss in life. May your peace which passes all understanding rest gently on each of them, and on each of us today. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Apostle Paul once wrote, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Henri Nouwen claims that gratitude is in many ways a discipline.  It involves a conscious choice. He wrote, “I can choose to be grateful even when my emotions and feelings are still steeped in hurt and resentment. It is amazing how many occasions present themselves in which I can choose gratitude instead of complaint… I can choose to speak about goodness and beauty, even when my inner eye still looks for someone to accuse or something to call ugly. I can choose to listen to the voices that forgive and to look at the faces that smile, even while I still hear words of revenge and see grimaces of hatred… There is always the choice between resentment and gratitude…”

Nouwen goes on to say, “The choice for gratitude rarely comes without some real effort. But each time I make it, the next choice is a little easier, a little freer, a little less self-conscious. Because every gift I acknowledge reveals another and another until, finally, even the most normal, obvious, and seemingly mundane event or encounter proves to be filled with grace.”

As you go through the day today, and then throughout the week, try to be aware of all the occasions in which you can choose gratitude. Especially be mindful during those difficult, stressful moments. And as you do, may notice grace abounding.

Let us pray: We acknowledge, O God, that amid the busyness of everyday life, it is easy to lose sight of your hand at work in our lives and the world. Especially in the tense, angst-filled moments, help us to choose to look for the gifts and to give thanks. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today I am deeply grateful for the Dial Hope Board of Directors and for all who give so generously of their time behind the scenes to make Dial Hope a reality.

In one of his commentaries on the story of Jacob’s ladder, Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggeman – compares the promises Jacob received to the 23rd Psalm. In that story, God makes some promises to Jacob in a dream: “Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised.”

When Jacob wakes up, he restates God’s promises:

God is with me.
God will keep me.
God will give me bread to eat.
I will come again to my father’s house in peace.

Brueggeman writes, “The promises here given and received are echoed in Psalm 23…” These are promises that people of faith have claimed for hundreds and hundreds of years. He goes on to assert, “The psalm is not a cliche, but a studied summary of the best promises of God and the deepest yearnings of Israel.”

Let us pray today claiming these promises, using this psalm. Please pray with me:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside still waters;

He restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.

There is a story about a new Sunday School teacher who couldn’t open the combination lock on the supply cabinet. So she went to the pastor for help. The pastor started turning the dial of the combination lock, stopped after the first two numbers, looked up serenely toward heaven, began moving his lips silently, turned to the final number, and opened the lock.

The teacher gasped, “I’m in awe of your faith, pastor.”

“Really,” he said, “It’s nothing. The number is on a piece of tape on the ceiling.”

Don’t you wish the answers to all of life’s problems were on a piece of tape on the ceiling? Then, when we passed through a challenging time in our life, all we would have to do is look up!

The truth is that there are no easy answers to many of life’s problems. It is not all cut and dry, black and white. However, when we find ourselves in the midst of great stress, dilemma, or conflict, it is not a bad idea to pause and look up.

We turn to God in prayer, not because we believe that God is going to solve all of our problems like magic – but because we trust that God’s walks with us. And we trust that God will give us the courage and strength to face the hour.

Let us pray: Loving and gracious God, thank you for walking with us. Thank you for meeting us amid life’s greatest sorrows and challenges as well as in life’s greatest joys. Amen.

There’s a story about a father and son who went to lunch one day together. When the waiter brought the food, the father said, “Son, we’ll just have a silent prayer.”  Dad got through praying first and waited for the boy to finish his prayer, but he just sat with his head bowed for an unusually long time.  When he finally looked up, his father asked him, “What I the world were you praying about all that time?”  With the innocence and honesty of a child, he replied, “How do I know? It was a silent prayer.”

The truth is, sometimes, silent prayers are the best ones. They allow us room to listen for the still small voice of God. Today, I pray that you would find some time to sit in the presence of God and allow the Spirit to stir in your soul.

Let us pray: Guide us to those quiet moments, O God, that times of refreshing may come upon us. Open our ears and our hearts to the movement of your Spirit.

Today, we pray especially for people who work hard and who have little time to rest. We lift up our military personnel, firefighters, police officers, peacekeepers, and aid workers. Draw them close to you. Grant them your guidance, your peace, and your love; through Jesus Christ. Amen.