Lord over time,
To you, a day is like a thousand years,
And a thousand years are but a day.
To us, 2020 has seemed a thousand years.
A thousand years of disappointment,
A thousand years of loss,
A thousand years of injustice,
A thousand years of insecurity.
We can only turn to you and say,
“O come, O come Emmanuel, and ransom us like captive Israel.”
All: We mourn in lonely exile here,
until the Son of God appear.
Our disappointments dwell deeply within us.
Postponed proms and graduations…
Would-be weddings and friendless funerals…
Missing family at sacred feasts…
Sanctuaries unfilled, unlit, unused.
We can only turn to you and say,
“O come, O come Emmanuel, and ransom us like captive Israel.”
All: We mourn in lonely exile here,
until the Son of God appear.
Our losses linger alongside us.
Nursing home neighbors losing inspiration and energy…
Tearful farewells shared only through screens…
Strangers, acquaintances, grandparents, beloveds…
Illness, complications, doubt, death.
We can only turn to you and say,
“O come, O come Emmanuel, and ransom us like captive Israel.”
All: We mourn in lonely exile here,
until the Son of God appear.
Injustice surrounds, encircling the least of these.
Black lives loved in heaven but devalued on earth…
Knees on necks, quieting calls for a mama…
Peaceful sleep, then in seconds, slaughter…
A Georgia jog, stopped short by a shotgun.
We can only turn to you and say,
“O come, O come Emmanuel, and ransom us like captive Israel.”
All: We mourn in lonely exile here,
until the Son of God appear.
Insecurity abounds, overwhelming our abundance.
Hours reduced and vocations lost…
Elections contested and divisions multiplied…
Wondering where is the Light of the World…
Pining away for the Prince of Peace.
We can only turn to you and say,
“O come, O come Emmanuel, and ransom us like captive Israel.”
All: We mourn in lonely exile here,
until the Son of God appear.
Come Quickly, Lord Jesus,
So one day once more, we can sing,
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel has come to us and Israel!
Amen, and amen.
Interim Synod Executive Chip Hardwick wrote this lament for use in the Synod’s virtual worship for the third week of Advent, December 13th.
Don’t Miss
The Lates From Our Blog
Check out articles, featured illustrations, and book reviews on all different topics related to ministry.
Emotions are Divine by David T. Lamb
About ten years ago, I was teaching a course on the psalms for my seminary students in the midst of a personal health crisis. It wasn’t in my notes, but I spontaneously ended up sharing with my students about my pain, my frustration, and my struggle to understand why...
A Master Craftsman and his Workshop
The Pastor's Workshop is hoping to offer an in-person preaching workshop, "Advent in August", To let us know you are interested, click here. August 7-10: Orange County, CAAugust 21-24: Colorado Springs, CO The Master & His Workshop I remember first walking...
5 Steps to Handling Strife Within the Church
Have you ever whispered to yourself, “I didn’t sign up for this?” I confess those words have passed through my mind more than once over the years. When I started out in ministry, more than 30 years ago now, I didn’t anticipate how much energy would be spent...