based on Joel 2:12-27
Faithful God, we’re feeling broken.
Hatred, disease, anxiety, and doubt are tearing open our hearts, weighing down our bodies, and casting a shadow over our spirits.
We’re struggling to find hope amid the ashes of what used to be–some still-glowing ember that might re-ignite our confidence in the future’s promise.
But the dust is in our eyes, and we can’t see. It’s in our nostrils and we can’t breathe. It’s in our throats and we can’t call out.
So we turn to you, inviting your Spirit to heal our many wounds. Where our ability to restore ourselves ends, yours endures. And for that we give deep thanks.
O God, may an awareness of your presence carry us on this wilderness journey, through the next 40 days and beyond. Amen.
Jeffrey A. Nelson 