How Long Will You Be Angry With Our Prayers?

HOW LONG WILL YOU BE ANGRY WITH OUR PRAYERS?

a prayer to open

In the midst of the pain in the world, Lord, I cry out to you.

When darkness overwhelms and the light has faded,

lead me in the way of hope, and grant me eyes to see your goodness.

Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel,

you who lead Joseph’s descendants like a flock.

O God, enthroned above the cherubim,

display your radiant glory

to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.

Show us your mighty power.

Come to rescue us!

Turn us again to yourself, O God.

Make your face shine down upon us.

Only then will we be saved.

O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies,

how long will you be angry with our prayers?

You have fed us with sorrow

and made us drink tears by the bucketful.

You have made us the scorn of neighboring nations.

Our enemies treat us as a joke.

Turn us again to yourself, O God of Heaven’s Armies.

Make your face shine down upon us.

Only then will we be saved.

What does it mean when our prayers go unanswered? Has God turned away from us because of something we’ve done? Has he closed his ears to our voices so he can no longer hear? Is he angry at all of humanity and deciding to take a break? Seemingly unanswered or ignored requests are among the most difficult things for us to understand and come to grips with. From our vantage point, there are prayers we say that God couldn’t possibly ignore or deny, yet we do not see the outcome we desire: A disaster strikes, war breaks out, masses of people are displaced. As John did in Revelation, we can only cry out to Jesus, “Come!” (Revelation 22:17). He responds, “Yes, I am coming soon” (verse 20).

• As you read today’s lament, what suffering that you’ve prayed against came to mind? If you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to do so, spend time simply making this lament specific to the prayers you’ve prayed. Pray the words as your own.
• As you consider more closely whatever area of suffering you have prayed against, where do you see good, compassion, or glimpses of God at work even in the midst of that suffering?
• How is God calling you to participate in what he’s doing to restore and redeem our suffering world even as your specific prayers aren’t resulting in the outcome you desire?

God, bend your ear to us. Don’t allow our sorrow to swallow us whole. Make your face shine down upon us. Turn us again to yourself. Come and rescue us! Come, Lord Jesus.