“Lord In Your Mercy…Hear Our Prayer!”

“Lord In Your Mercy… Hear Our Prayer!”(Lam.2:13-22).
There is no guaranteed safety for a group of blind people if their guide is also blind. “Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm.” is a scripture which we the messengers of the word have capitalized on so as to scare and silence those who criticise our excesses. Jeremiah was one such prophet who challenged the false prophets of his time.
To criticise a prophet is not the same as doing harm to him. The attack on the chosen of God, the plundering and destruction of Jerusalem and the taking into exile of the children of God was due to the failure of the prophets. “The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The Oracle they gave you were false and misleading.”
This is the same canker that has eaten so deep into the fabrics of own society and has become chronic! The place where the people look for direction is where they are often misdirected: the house of God and his messengers!
“From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace”(Jer.6:13-14& 8:10b-11).
Yes, when it all started we downplayed it and sugar-coated it with numerous prayers for peace, peace crusades and peace marches. The landscape has suddenly been inundated with peace institues. We did not stand out strongly to advocate for justice and fairness! We argued that everybody was seated at table for the dinner, so there was no reason for complaining. Yet it was evident that some people had nothing in their plates! We told them they will be full all the same!
And now, here we are: desolation, abandonment, teenage mothers, displacements, decreasing youthful male population, exiles and refugees! And worst of it, uncertainty, since we are between the devil and the deep blue sea. Friend and foe alike are all friends and all foes, all in one!
Can we now “Cry Justice” before we advocate for peace! Yes, the poet calls on all of us: “Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the LORD. Lift up your hands to him…”
The LORD is merciful and compassionate. For the sake of the blood of his Son he will show us mercy if our cry is accompanied by a resolve to genuine repentance. A repentance that will lead us to a table of frank-talk ending in a well-intentioned handshake.
Dear friend, two rabbis were moving through this same ruins of Jerusalem. One of them burst into tears as he remembered what the city used to look like. Suddenly the other rabbi burst into joyful laughter. His colleague could not understand why he could be so joyful in the midst of the ruins. He asked to know why he was laughing. The other rabbi told him, “I am laughing for the same reason why you are weeping. As we walk through the ruins I remember that scriptures tells us it many places, ‘And it came to pass!’ I’m laughing because I know that this too shall come to pass!” Yes, one day things will get better for all of us!
Prayer: LORD hear our cry as we seek your face and do not let our enemies prevail against us. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.