Prayer and Brokenness

Confronting the recent run of tragedies in our community

by KC Vande Streek, Contributing Editor

Praying for our brothers and sisters at the Seminary is something that we should be doing continually. In light of a string of recent incidents, however, this duty seems especially important right now.

For those unaware of all that has gone on in the past few weeks, there have been a number of laptops stolen from the library, an apartment on campus broken into and property stolen, a number of serious illnesses, and one student was seriously assaulted. There have been two miscarriages. And, most recently, we heard about the situation with Fredy Chen. All within our tiny CTS community.

The Scriptures tell us that this world is broken, that pain, sadness and sin are prevalent throughout the earth. The Scriptures also indicate that our fight is not with this world, but with the powers and principalities of darkness. So, in response to the aforementioned list of pain and brokenness, the list which points to our current fight with those powers and principalities of darkness, let us do what the Scriptures say, bearing one another’s burdens. Let us intercede for one another to God, just as the Spirit intercedes and speaks for us all.

As an example, here is a copy of an exceptional prayer that was spoken in chapel on Friday, (used with permission, student’s name withheld by request). Please pray along, for our world and our community here at the Seminary. And though this prayer ends in “Amen,” let’s remember to pray without ceasing.

Jesus,

Send your spirit to refine our prayers. Cover us with your grace as we try to search your ways.

For all the good that we see, for all the unity and diversity, we praise you. For all the bad…well…we don’t know.

Lord, we look to the world and see unrest at every turn. The most visible gods of today seem to be war and division. And the ravages of war seem only to bow to the almighty dollar, euro and won. Where are you, oh God? Why don’t you step into this mess? Our theodicies seem mere vanity against the backdrop of global poverty, oppression and hate. We hear of corrupt leaders, of distortion, of lies and of utter disdain for human life.

How did your good creation fall so far?

And Lord, this evil is not a new thing. Even as leaders around the world candy coat their corruption, we know that we are happy to candy coat our sin as well. We celebrate Columbus Day this week. All of our lives are changed by Columbus’ journey. And so much good has been shown in this continent, in this country, even. For this reason, we mark days of Thanksgiving.

But God, we know that many new opportunities for evil came from Columbus’ so-called discovery. There is too much in our history for which we cannot give thanks. Native people, whole families, whole towns, whole nations were decimated, destroyed or, at best, displaced in this country alone. People were torn from their culture, their people and their place…all in the familiar name of progress. And we know that this is only one small part of your world and one short part of the human story. God, our human inclination to sin is too much. Your apparent silence is deafening in our ears. Where are you?

God, bring your kingdom quickly! We long for your return. This world is too much for us. The weight of sin and death cuts us down. Our voices grow dry and short. Our eyes are now raw. Our alleluia’s seem mere wishful thinking.

We are not you, O God. And your ways are not our ways. Give us hearts to feel the pain of this world. Take away the callus formed by video games and nightly news. Teach us to weep again. Teach us to cry out defiant alleluias though the enemy seem so strong. Guide us, oh Lord, almighty sustainer of this world.

In Jesus’ name.

Amen.

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