The world is awash in turmoil. Over 600,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in the war to reoccupy Ukraine, according to U.S. intelligence, and about one third that number of Ukrainians. More than 40,000 people in Gaza, including thousands of women and children, have died from Israeli bombs and rockets. And now we see a burgeoning war between Israel and Hezbollah, which is based in Lebanon, and mounting casualties on both sides. The terror of a wider war looms if Iran persists in its threat to shower Israel with missiles. Thus far Israeli defenses bolstered by U.S. equipment and knowhow have neutralized Iran’s barrages, but for how long?
Russian President Vladimir Putin has, reportedly, been contemplating the use of tactical nuclear weapons out of his frustration with his troops’ failure to conquer Ukraine amid heavy Russian losses.
Here at home, seven states are digging out from killer hurricanes Helene and Milton, which have left over 250 dead and $250 billion of damage to homes and commercial structures.
All this while we move toward the 2024 presidential, congressional and gubernatorial elections as a nation bitterly divided over which political party and which candidates offer our best hopes to navigate the perilous waters swirling all around us.
As one of our country’s most iconic songs suggests, “when darkness comes and pain is all around,” we find ourselves looking for “a bridge over troubled waters.”
Seeking Divine Intervention
Theistic believers, whether Christian, Muslim or Jewish, probably agree that that bridge is our pleading in prayer to a merciful God to come to our aid, guide and direct us, and support us in our quest for justice and peace.
Here and there I perceive a few scattered calls to prayer, a few services dedicated to seeking God’s will for our nation, but not nearly enough. In the two campaigns for the presidency, that of former President Donald J. Trump and that of sitting Vice President Kamala Harris, interventions by religious figures have been few and unremarkable. The candidates themselves rarely mention God.
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
The power of prayer is a theme I have often harked to, but, like John the Baptist in the Gospel account, I feel like “a voice crying in the wilderness.” Here is a prayer that came to me as I pondered a number of psalms and also prayers by poets, preachers and just plain folks:
“O Lord, our God, teach us empathy to feel the pain of our brothers and sisters near and far. Restore us to hope as we place our trust in your loving kindness. O Father and Creator of all, bind up our emotional and physical wounds, calm our fears, and renew in us a spirit of good will toward our fellow travelers on this now beleaguered and strife-torn planet. Amen.”
I also like lines crafted by Christian minstrel John Michael Talbot, based on Psalm 62: “Only in God is my soul at rest / from him comes my salvation / He only is my rock, my strength and my salvation / My stronghold, my savior, I shall not be afraid at all / My stronghold, my savior, I shall not be moved.”
Finding Solace in Prayer
Whether you choose these prayers or others, please choose something. Please do not let your hours and days slip by without recourse to prayer. As we navigate these troubled waters, may we find solace in the power of prayer and the strength that comes from seeking divine guidance.
