It feels better to pray for other people,
to make a mental list of their needs,
to write down their names
in a fresh notebook,
or type them one-fingered
on my phone.
It feels better to do that,
as if You and I
might be working together,
as if my prayers
helped form
some healing balm.
I like that better.
When I need prayer myself,
I hesitate to ask,
as if vulnerability, or illness,
or even exhaustion,
counts as weakness,
even worthlessness.
When I move toward You
and ask for help,
I clothe it in the needs of others.
“Give me strength
so I may (fill-in-the-blank)
for (someone-or-other).”
But would I ever
pray so conditionally
for another soul?
It’s hard, O Lord.
It’s hard
to ask for help.
v interesting that all the “old” collects in the prayer book are ‘so that’ prayers…. much food for thought here.
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I needed this poem today.
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