How Lonely sits the city where silence now resides
The doorways are clean and empty, the water basins full
Yet, there are no ripples in the water
No footprints in the walkways
The corridors are silent- only filled with the tears of lament
The joy of my heart has ceased, our dancing has been turned to mourning (Lamentations 5.15)
My eyes fail because of tears, my spirit is greatly troubled
My heart is poured out on the earth because of the destruction of my home (Lamentations 2.11)
Oh Lord, forgive us for taking this place for granted
For abusing our life with nonsense and frivolity
Forgive us for being so sure of our life
Forgive us for not loving one another as we should
Shame us for our stupid arguments and selfish spirits
For dwelling on problems rather than love
Forgive us for valuing things over people
Forgive us of our laziness toward one another and your world
Forgive us for not loving you by loving to the fullest those whom you have given us
Forgive us for not seeing our families as grace, as gift
The gift is now gone; it is no more
You have given, You have loved
Our Father loved us as you loved us, he loved us as you loved the world
Forgive us for thinking the city would be filled with laughter forever
My soul has been rejected from peace. I have forgotten happiness
So I say my strength has perished and so has my hope from the Lord (Lamentations 3.17-18)
He has walled me in so that I cannot go out, He has made my chain heavy (Lamentations 3.7)
O God, we have taken our breath for granted
We have worshipped at the idol of invincibility
We were asleep – we are awake – to an empty city
Our Father is gone, He is with you
Remember what has befallen us, Look and see our reproach! (Lamentations 5.1a)
Create in us a new heart and purge us of our filthy presumptions
Our haughty unloving selves
Do not hide your ear from my prayer for relief (Lamentations 3.56)
Amen.
ParanormalChrist 