A prayer for the fickle at heart

It is amazing how within the course of just one day we, your children, can go from praising your name to cursing it.

How we can see the sun can shine so perfectly one minute, and then fixate on the storm clouds the next.

How we can glorify your power and might with such vigor, and just us as passionately question your care for our lives.

Sadly, our relationships with one another are not so different.

While beginnings afford us the purest of intentions, it seems that the end comes into sight the second we feel slighted or disappointed.

We vacillate constantly between feeling like we are too good for other people and worrying that we aren’t good enough. 

Our human hearts house so many contradicting emotions.

Joy and pain.

Gratitude and callousness.

Hope and cynicism.

Love and hate.

Lord, you know so intimately our fickle hearts and hear so clearly our fickle prayers.

And amidst it all, you stay the same.

You are never less faithful, or less gracious, or less loving.

You never forget us, no matter how many times we forget you.

And you never forsake us, even though we continually forsake you.

Whenever we are confused, Lord, you are certain.

Wherever we feel anger, God, you create peace.

Whenever we lose hope, Jesus, you find us more.

So no matter what storms are raging in our lives, or how perfect the rainbow,

We rest in Your abiding goodness, not our own.

We trust in Your persevering faithfulness, not our own.

Because your grace is sufficient unto us, for when we are weak, then we are strong in you.

So this morning we rest our racing minds and our changing hearts at your feet and offer up the prayers that endure in our heart: 

Prayers for loved ones hurting or lost,

for nations warring or suffering,

for this city that is building while falling apart. 

Faithful God, your power and your righteousness reach the heavens. Hear us, your servants, as we follow you to the day when faith, hope, and love will be upon the lips of all of us, your children.

Amen.

 

 

 

 

Charlene Han Powell is currently the Associate Pastor for Christian Education at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church.  She oversees Adult Education, Young Adult Ministries, and Family Ministries at this historic Manhattan church.