There is Ugliness (a prayer)

Join in with this honest prayer, lifting up to God concerns about ugliness, scariness, fracture and monsters.

But also metamorphosis, love and standing valiant for truth.

Audio:

Text:

God of a greatness that is bigger than huge, of surprises that dilate the eyes of our hearts, of much needed U-turns, and a power which can never be unplugged:

We come to you in very honest prayer. If our hearts could be on their knees they would, because we trust that you will act in ways beyond the appeals of our insufficient words which seem to mumble and sputter.

It’s sometimes scary to turn on the TV, scroll online, or listen to the radio because we witness such fracture.

Fracture in the beauty of this stunning earth.

Fracture between nations that are full of people made in the image of the same God.

Fracture in the fabric of relationships that had once been full of trust and laughter, but are now punctured with cutting words and sideways glances.

Restore. Reconcile. Heal. 

There is ugliness. We can all name monsters among us. People who kill innocence, scoff at injustice, mock purity, who try to pollute whatever draws us closer to you.

But first and foremost slay the monster within each of us.

That lurking beast of selfishness who would rather take than give.

That lurching beast of anger who would rather blame than bless.

That languishing beast of pride who would rather control others instead of serve them.

Bring us metamorphosis, from the inside out, starting in our soul, for you turn even darkness to radiance. 

Just as there is ugliness, there too is love. All of it overflows from your heart, which is both smiling and generous.

In the metamorphosis that we hope and plea you bring not only to your groaning earth, but also to our personal places of vulnerability and even shatter, make us lock step with love.

Superintend our secret thoughts with the loving living Christ almighty.

Superintend the words that roll from our God-given tongues with the loving living Christ almighty.

Superintend our daily decisions, our hopeful homes, our rushing streets, our complicated workplaces, our frequent play places, and the very halo of our existence, with the loving living Christ almighty. 

As Eugene Peterson said, “a colony of heaven in a country of death.” May we ooze mercy and stand valiant for truth.

God of a greatness that is bigger than huge, of surprises that dilate the eyes of our hearts, of much needed U-turns, and a power which can never be unplugged:

You said that in this world we will have trouble, but to take heart because you have overcome the world. So we do take heart. We take yours. 

Yes there is ugliness. And yes there is love. Banish the first. Enlist us in the second.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory , forever and ever, Amen.

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