Prayer (Jeremiah 28:5-9)
Lord -
The prophets Jeremiah and Hananiah conversed in the presence of priests and people standing in Your house.
They conversed to process their people’s exile to Babylon and all the traumatic losses that exile brought to their people.
Jeremiah hoped Hananiah’s prophecy of peace would come true - “Amen! May the Lord do so…”
Jeremiah also recognized prior prophecies that included war, famine, and pestilence. Jeremiah recognized their people’s pain.
Lord -
We, too, converse these days as we wonder about peace and process war and disease and racism. Help us to listen to the more difficult prophecies - the ones that recognize people’s pain and bring that pain before You.
Forgive us for quickly rushing to prophecies of peace - prophecies that brush aside the real, valid, and transformative emotions of sorrow, grief, frustration, confusion, and guilt.
Strengthen us to be attentive to prophecies of pain - for their words contain truth and healing.
Amen.