Called South - Anglican Diocese of Dunedin

🙏 Prayers of Lament

Sometimes life feels overwhelming and sitting quietly to pray just does not cut it. Instead, we want to cry out to God and tell God exactly what we think. There is much Biblical precedent for so, and we give you permission to pray in this way when needed!

Psalms and prayers of lament often follow a structure like this:
1. Address God.
2. Outline of grievance.
3. Statement of trust.
4. Requests and petitions.
5. Hope and praise.

Try writing your own using this outline, for example:
All-loving God, source of justice and joy,
hear the cries of your children across the world,
For too many are living in the rubble of destroyed buildings,
growing weak with hunger,
desperately thirsty for clean water,
whilst those in power rain down fire upon their heads.
Your ears are attuned to the pain of the oppressed,
and you promise freedom to all who are enslaved,
So bring peace between nations and neighbours,
softening the hearts of all who wage war
and motivating the complacent into caring action.
For we are all made in your image,
created for one another, in praise of you:
to you be glory forever, AMEN.

🖌 Kelly Lattimore, "Christ in the Rubble", 2023.