Help

 

You are invited to read Psalm 10, then try to see what pours forth from your heart, what is stirred up in prayer to God from this hymn to the Holy?  Here are my thoughts:

Help, God!!  I need to know that You are here because the world is in all kinds of trouble.  Help God!!  

Why can’t we have a bat signal like Gotham to call on You to swoop in and save the day when people’s words hurt and harm, when discrimination is written into legislation, when what unites us is hatred and love seems too wishy-washy or idealistic or simplistic or scoffed at as un-enlightened.  

I long to let the words of Micah, to do justice, show loving-kindness, and walk humbly with You be my mission, vision, core values statement.  But most days, the words and actions of others make me wonder if I have the energy or if love/justice/human-size-ness can really make a difference?  

God, I long for a world where those who are hurting find healing; where those who have no home find shelter; where hungry bellies are filled; where those with wealth are the first to show up with gifts and the last to leave until all are cared for.  

But instead, we still cling to scarcity and see the economy as a leaky faucet where some will trickle down to the least and lonely while we jet off to another vacation.  

Help us, O God, we have so many idols that lure us astray and away from You.  Show us, Your way, smooth out the rough places of our jagged souls, and hold us with a strength to be Your people in the face of what we encounter in this day.  Amen.