Opening Invocation

How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave

Lamentations 3:5

God of compassion, we bring into your presence all that weighs on our hearts this week, especially the human suffering and the most frightening things we see and hear of in the news daily. We gather these headlines not to dwell in despair or fear, but to bring them into the refuge of your healing presence. 

Deep Focus

To crush underfoot all prisoners in the land,

to deny people their rights before the Most High,

to deprive them of justice — would not the Lord see such things?

Lamentations 3:34-36

Beloved Father, you have seen so much worse than what is happening now. You have grieved with and over so many of your children over the millennia, as galaxies slowly spin on their axis, as stars are born and then burn low, you have been all seeing and all pervading. You watch the tiniest births on earth of little mice, the hatching of minuscule spiders from their mother’s wrappings, of every caterpillar spinning its cocoon. As its tiny body is falling asleep in darkness, you are there. You know our human minds and hearts too are so small, and that they are broken for our country and the loss we are going through now of the way it was. Remind us, Lord, show us that we are brave as well as broken hearted, that even our grieving the brilliant experiment of America, that we still believe. We are so little, Lord God, so small. But you make our prayers and our smallest actions BIG. We trust that you will guide us and give us courage and strength through the fight ahead, through the times we need our chrysalis to gather strength from you. This week when we hear about the next awful thing our government has done, we will stop and remind ourselves that those people, too, fall, as they eventually must. You remain You, God of all times and places, of all people and all things, and to you we belong forever in life and in death. Nothing can touch that. Until then may we hope, believe and be courageous in all that we do.

*Take a moment to close your eyes and sit in the midst of the stars with God. What does he show you? Does he say anything to you? What do you want to say to him?

Other Intercessions/headlines of this week

Consider the covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of violence

Psalm 74:20

*Another public shooting, more hideous ICE violence, more violent and hateful rhetoric, Lord, more troops sent to American cities and authorized to shoot. It’s hard not to freak out. Help us cultivate courage every day so that if there comes a time we must meet with violent injustice we will be able to access the inner peace we need to act with bravery and love. Prepare our hearts for nonviolent action. Help us find ways we can help our country, the defenseless, the persecuted, ourselves. May we return again and again to you who are all things good, the source of all life and dignity.

*We thank you for all the times this week that freedom and the truth have prevailed over hate and oppression. It’s been beautiful and Lord we needed that. Remind us of the good news we saw in the world and fill us with hope. There are still wonderful people doing great and caring things. There are still comedians who make us laugh. There is still just enough freedom of the press for us to know what is happening if we want to. We still have friends and love and music. May we lift our hearts daily to you to let the sun shine in and fill our thoughts with all that is good.

*We pray for the hungry and those living with war, especially South Sudan on the verge of famine, Gaza far past the breaking point, and Ukraine fighting for its life against the invading army of Russia.

*We pray for immigrants living in fear of ICE, for God’s cherished black children in America, for LGBTQ people, and our president’s political and personal enemies, all who are persecuted by this administration in various ways. Protect them, Lord, defend them, and show us who are not undergoing persecution how we may be called to join you in the fight.

*Let us remember that hate will never win, that our country is not lost because our country has us. And you have us too, Lord. Show us your will, grant us the power to carry it out, and we will have all we need.

Closing Blessing

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

Lamentations 3:22

God, in the moments when the news overwhelms, steady our spirits with the reminder that you hold the world- sun and star, nation and neighbor, beetle and bug, atom and quark, as well as our frightened hearts in your hands and that you remain you even if worlds fall. May your peace shape our hearts, your justice and love shape our actions this week. Lead us in your ways. We ask all these things in your Name, in your honor, and for love of you and our brothers and sisters. Amen