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A prayer on a wintry Sunday

2:35pm Sunday, 10th July 2011

Dear Father,

Sometimes life with you is smooth and gentle, just like paddling a kayak through quiet waters.

Then the wind is up, and the waves surge, and the sun goes behind a cloud. And before we know it life is rough and ragged.

It may be life is upended by something scary happening to our health, or secure employment suddenly ending, or an argument out of nowhere with family, or we lose a friend.

The Psalm says 7 Deep calls to deep

at the roar of your waterfalls;

all your breakers and your waves

have gone over me.

But then it goes on….

8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,

and at night his song is with me,

a prayer to the God of my life.

Dear father the deepest one of us here, whoever that is, is so shallow compared to you.

Our steadfastness is so slippery compared to you.

Our love is but hate compared to you.

In the night, however low we get, you can raise us up.

Your song is with us.

Help us to sing with you.

Teach us the words, even the words where there are no words.

Of love beyond love, and beyond pain.

Of grace beyond our human standard of care and beyond all rejection,

Of hope beyond what our minds can see, and beyond any despair.

May we hear the chorus,

Of wave after wave of love,

Of justice flowing down like a river,

Of the latter rains the one that ensures the seed grows and the harvest comes home.

Sing us to heaven dear fathers, and in the song take us there now.

In the name of your Son, Jesus. Amen