Prayers For Tough Times

Prayer At The Beginning of a Dark Day


We are still the people walking.
We are still people in the dark,
and the darkness looms large around us,
beset as we are by fear, anxiety, brutality, violence, loss —
a dozen alienations that we cannot manage.

We are — we could be — people of your light.
So we pray for the light of your glorious presence
as we wait for your appearing.
We pray for the light of your wondrous grace
as we exhaust our coping capacity;
we pray for your gift of newness that
will override our weariness;
we pray that we may see and know and hear and trust
in your good rule.

That we may have energy, courage, and freedom to enact
your rule through the demands of this day
We submit our day to you and to your rule, with deep joy and high hope.

Source: Walter Brueggerman, Prayers for a Privileged People