Be gracious to me, Blessed One, for I am in distress.
My eyes are awash with grief; my bed swims in tears.
My bones bulge under the weight of unlived life.
Sighs crowd my heart and swell my tongue.
Jesus, weeping over Jerusalem.
Weeping over this city.
Over these people.
Over this church.
Over my own anemic,
knuckleheaded self.
Can you hear it? Can you hear it?
But the One who vindicates is near.
The Advocate’s approach stymies fear.
Morning by morning the Beloved awakens me,
Tuning my ear to heaven’s harmony.
Morning by morning new mercies I see.*
©Ken Sehested @ prayerandpolitiks.org. *Line from “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” Thomas Obediah Chisholm.