I don’t know about you, but this has been a hard week….there are so many layers of emotion. So many layers of grief over things happening in our world, especially in the middle east, in Israel and Gaza. Add on the earthquake in Afghanistan, continuing war in Ukraine and the US congress in disarray without a speaker of the house, IT IS A LOT!!!
For me personally, the developer has started construction again right across the street. I am really not a fan of being awakened by a jack hammer before 7am! It is kind of like living in a dentist office with the drill going strong all day long. The other sadness is the knowledge that the vista view we’ve enjoyed for several years will be going away soon and we will just see houses rather than the rolling hills.
Many things to grieve.
We aren’t very good at grief as a culture. We don’t know how to sit with our pain or sit with our frustration. Too often we let it fester, we get angry, but we don’t let it out. We keep it bottled up rather than letting our grief flow.
Jesus says,
“Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.”
And
One of my favorite verses in these past few years is Psalm 56:8
You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; This I know, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise, In the Lord, whose word I praise,
In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?
How do you process grief?
Are you holding it inside?
Do you feel it in your body or is your mind just spinning around in circles?
This is a GRIEF prayer station that I now use in many of my Sacred Space prayer experiences. It can be done as an individual prayer practice or with your family and friends around the table.
Supplies:
A pitcher and a large vase or a large pitcher and individual glasses of water. Fill pitcher or glasses with water.
A blank book and a pen to write out prayers
GOD HOLDS OUR TEARS
GOD HOLDS OUR TEARS:
Consider all the hard and painful things happening in our lives and in our world.
There are People who are hurting, people who are suffering and people who need to know that they are not alone even in the mess of life.
Jesus says,
“Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.”
What are you grieving right now? In you life, in the world, in the lives of those you care about…
What is bringing you down, causing you pain?
ACTION 1:
Write your prayers of Grief and Sorrow in the Book
Know that Jesus sees them already. Allow Jesus to hold them for you!
ACTION 2:
Hold a cup of water, or a pitcher of water….
Allow this water to represent your tears. Know that God is holding them and God sees them! Talk to Jesus about your pain as you pour in the water.
POUR SOME WATER INTO THE VASE/JAR/PITCHER
Talk to Jesus about your pain as you pour in the water. Jesus SEES you in your pain and is holding you close.
READ the Scripture
PSALM 56:8 THE MESSAGE
You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn through the sleepless nights,
Each tear entered in your ledger, each ache written in your book.
PSALM 56: 8-11 New American Standard Version
You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; This I know, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise, In the Lord, whose word I praise,
In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?
ALLOW Jesus to hold your tears, to have your sorrow and your pain to hold for you.
PEACE CANDLE
PRAY TOGETHER:
Jesus we need you to hold our tears. We need you to be the prince of peace to our broken world. We pray against the spirit of hate and need for violence. We ask you to be with all who are suffering. All who have lost loved ones and homes. Be with all who are feeling afraid and all who have lost hope. Be our peace Lord, Be our Hope Lord. We need you! Help us to work for peace and live out love even in our sorrow. Thank you for knowing us and loving us and loving our world. AMEN
KEEP IT GOING:
This practice may need to be done daily.
You can keep a pitcher or a vase near your sink and pour water into it each day as a way to pour out your grief and pray for all that is hurting you and all the suffering in our world.
You can Light a Candle each day, PRAY FOR PEACE and remember that the darkness will never extinguish the light.
PSALM 139
Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.
LISTEN TO PORTERS GATE “Drive out the Darkness” :
©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com