Prayers of Lament

​Last week, as I prayed for you, I included the words from Philippians 1:9-11: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. 

This week I continue to pray for you with some more of Paul’s words from Philippians chapter 2. I pray Christ encourages you, and that His love comforts you, and His spirit unites us all together (as if the whole of this church were only one person). I pray he continually increases our love and concern for one another (Phil 2:1-3). I also dare to pray that each of us "may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation, so each of us will shine among them like stars in the sky as we hold firmly to the word of life.” (Phil 2:15-16)

May all of us who profess Christ's name, bear true witness to Christ and guide others to Him, like a lighthouse light guides a ship in to shore. While we aim to live blameless lives before others, be assured God will still use each of us, even with our failures and brokenness. 

In this last month I've seen a man whom I took along to his local church about a month ago, continue to go to church each Sunday and continue to seek the Lord. This week he asked his new Pastor to read the bible with him so he can learn to understand it. May he find Christ as Christ has promised (As we heard last Sunday; "seek and you will find” Matthew 7:7).

This coming Sunday we will be looking at “Prayers of Lament”. Lament is something modern churches rarely do. Sadly, I think we need to practise it today more than ever. We need to lament in our personal sorrows, the sorrows of the Church, and the sorrows of the world. To lament is to grieve all that is “wrong” (though not feel guilty about everything), as opposed to feeling sad and guilty when we sin which ought to lead to repentance. Repentance and Lament are two different things, and we will look at repentance next week. But for this week we shall learn to Lament together. In the lead up to Sunday, you might like to pray this prayer I've adapted from “Peter Adam” - Reimagining Lament.

Like Hannah who poured out her soul to the Lord (1 Sam 1:15), we pour out our souls in grief and lament for this world. We grieve with all who are oppressed, all caught up in war, famine or drought, all suffering under totalitarian, corrupt or incompetent leaders, all who are homeless or hopeless, all who are lonely, all who are sick in body or in mind, all who are bereaved, and all who live without Christ. We grieve at these human tragedies, at the suffering of individuals, societies, nations, and the world. We lament that so often those in power do not act effectively to end war, end oppression and corruption, care for those who are vulnerable and in need, and bring justice health and hope to all. We grieve too when your church in any place is corrupt, confused, sinful, selfish, self-satisfied, abusive, or alienated from the society in which you have placed it. We lament our own personal wasted opportunities, failed relationships, our sins, mistakes, and weaknesses.
We thank and praise you that in the midst of all this, you are a gracious and powerful God, and that we can turn to you, pray to you and hope in you. We pour out our souls to you in prayer, asking you to act in justice and mercy in this world. Bring down tyrants, oppressors, and corrupt leaders. Protect and rescue those in any kind of distress or need. Raise up wise and good leaders in every nation and frustrate the plans of those who plot evil. Bring justice and peace to this world. Make the gospel of Jesus Christ known in every place, and bring many to trust and follow him. We pour out our hearts to you in prayer for your church, the body of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit, your people, redeemed by the blood of your Son. May your people in every place know your power, grace, forgiveness, compassion and kindness. May they serve you, serve each other, and serve their communities with wisdom, grace, and love, We pray especially for our own church, Mount Eliza Anglican Church, that you would make us holy by your truth, and protect us from the evil one.
And gracious Father, we pour out our prayers for every member of MEAC, young and old, that you would make us people of strong faith, persistent love, and constant hope. Help each of us, to follow Jesus, to rejoice in his death and resurrection, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to live for your glory, and to count all things as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Saviour and Lord. Enrich our fellowship, use our daily lives at home, school, work, and in all places for your glory, and bring us safely home to you for eternity.
Amen.