At our Bible Study yesterday,
Rev. Mary Grace Reynolds
shared a prayer she found on
the internet somewhere.
It was inspired by Jeremiah 2:13
“They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”
The prayer was part of
our Lenten Study last Easter.
It meant a lot to me then…
but is even more meaningful today.
Today I am reaching for answers
to the endless wars
and the destructive climate change
and the hurricanes that are so terrible.
Reaching for answers…
But they escape me
like birds that take flight…
just out of reach!
for when you’re tired of broken systems
Oh God, I am done with broken systems
that break the very people
they are meant to serve.
Harness this anger!
Channel it into worthy action and show me
what is mine to fix and what boundaries to patrol
to keep goodness in and evil out.
Blessed are we who are appalled
that brute ignorance can so easily dominate
over decency, honesty, and integrity.
Blessed are we, who chose not to look away
from systems that dehumanize, deceive, defame, and distort.
We who recognize that thoughts and prayers are not enough.
We who stand with Truth over expediency,
principles over politics,
community over competition.
Oh God, how blessed are we who cry out to you:
Empower us to see and name what is broken,
what is ours to restore.
Guide us to find coherent
and beautiful alternatives
that foster life, hope, and peace.
Help us to use our gifts with one another in unity.
Blessed are we who choose to live in anticipation,
our eyes scanning the horizon
for signs of Your kingdom –
heaven come down –
as we wait.
Heaven come down!
Amen
Love,
JanBeek
Comments on: "Tired of Broken Systems" (9)
I’m praying with you for all those things that you so elegantly wrote. Bless this broken world!
Thank you, DeDe. Our world is so broken right now. Constant need for healing every where you turn!!
While we look to God for our salvation, we should look to ourselves for solutions. We should not believe that our votes are accurately reflecting our Beliefs and intentions. As a society, we’ve lost faith and confidence in our elected and non-elected people in charge. We’ve entrusted our lives to men and women, who like us, are full of sin. And sinful people are evil. We’ve misplaced our trust and faith in politicians, law enforcement, schools, doctors, lawyers, legal frameworks, religious institutions and institutions of higher learning. We are wrong. We, the people, are wrong. The only one we can trust is in our God, the Father and the Son.
So first step, is put your faith and trust in God.
Second, refund all those corrupted individuals in places of power.
Third, devise the means where only people pure of heart will lead us, instead of manage us.
Fourth, devote our lives to the biblical teachings and individually listen to God.
May God bless us all.
This says “Anonymous” – but I’m guessing this is Peter. Such a thoughtful response!!
We are indeed being shown in real time, what is broken in our world.. And how the systems in place are not united, or healing, but separating and dividing..
Maybe God has to show us how broken we have become, before we unify enough to come together to fix the systems in place which heal, and that no longer divide us by anger ..
My heart is reaching out to all of those places Jan, both near and far, in Wars and Hurricanes, to stop the suffering…
What I am witnessing is humanities resilience and the hero’s of those who are helping rescues in wars and hurricanes..
Sometimes God shows us in how we have given our Faith away, by trusting those whom we have given our power away to.. Instead of trusting in ourselves and to our Faith within..
Maybe we are now seeing how misguided our trust in the powers that be on both sides of the pond we have been..
Prayers continually being sent dear Jan.. And thank you for that heartfelt post xx ..🙏 💖🙏
Thank you, Sue, for this heartfelt, wise response. You make some very valid points. I especially noted, “Maybe God has to show us how broken we have become, before we unify enough to come together to fix the systems in place which heal, and that no longer divide us by anger…” Yes, “Trusting our Faith within…” not those outside forces. Good advice!
Yes Jan, we have to perhaps first lose faith with the system, in order to want to rectify it, rebuild it, without the corrupted flaws and trust what has been forgotten, our Inner faith with God and ourselves… <3 xxx
Jan, thank you for sharing this verse from Jeremiah as well as these prayer-filled thoughts. In the darkest of times, our faith needs to continue to trust the only One who sees the future. May we heed His Word and follow His expectations while seeking the grace of healing in this fallen world.
Yes, Dick, I am “seeking the grace of healing” ❤️🩹 Had a bunch of X-rays done today. Hopefully I’ll find some relief!😮💨 Back pain after my fall while we were in Italy- no fun!!