Prayer on Election Eve

 

I invite you this morning to take a deep breath.  Breathe in so that the oxygen reaches your pinkie toe.  Exhale out the exhaustion we have all been carrying trying to keep on, keeping on.  Breathe in again the strength of the One who promises to always be present.  Exhale out the fear that has for far too long controlled the radio stations we listen to.  Breathe in an unceasing grace and unconditional love that we need every day.  Exhale the pain, trusting God to help us process all that is swirling in our minds, hearts, souls, lives, community, country, and world.

Pray with me.

God, You are our help in ages past.  You are our hope for years to come.  We know from the stories of our grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, the ones who would gather at family reunions with paper plates of potato salad and jello to swap stories about what it was like trying to live and raise families during the Depression, Dust Bowl, and World Wars.  We have heard stories about ducking under desks for fear of missiles and graduations.  We have heard about jobs lost and careers began.  We have heard about family members grieved and new babies welcomed.  We have heard about transitions that were welcomed and ones that caused frustration.  Through those stories, we heard resilience and a reminder that Your presence is what gets us through day-in-and-day-out.  Move in our midst of this weary years and too many tears.  We have known well the cries of the Psalmist, “How long?”  We have felt new insights into why Jesus cried, “My God, why have you forsaken me?”  We need Your wisdom and guidance amid rising cases of Coronavirus that are overwhelming hospitals.  Be with our frontline workers who are doing everything possible to save lives.  We need Your peace amid a polarized country captive by narratives that keep us distrusting and even hating each other.  We need Your love to so take hold of our hearts that we cannot help but let that be the truth we share and shine forth.  We pray for our country as we head to the polls tomorrow.  We pray for those who work at the polls.  We pray for healing.  There is so much we face and too much for too long we have put off dealing with from racism and discrimination to economic inequalities to health care to our own brokenness.  We need You, O God.  Help open our hearts to Your creative and liberating love not just this week because of an election, but every week of our lives.  Breathe on us, breath of God, fill us with life anew, that we may live faithfully til we’ve seen this journey through.  Amen.