Walter Brueggemann: Against a closed sky....

We pray against a closed sky;

our hopes reduced to auto-suggestion;

our petitions are more habit than hopes;

our intercessions are kindly gestures of well-being.

Sometimes more, many times not,

because your silence and absence,

your indifference and tardiness are glaring among us.

We are drawn to lesser gods,

easier loyalties,

many forms of self-trust,

that do not even fool us....

We pray for new measures of passion,

for fresh waves of resolve,

for courage, energy, and freedom, to be our true selves...

waiting in confidence,

and while waiting, acting our life toward you

 
  your ways of forgiving generosity.

We pray in the name of Jesus who trusted fully, and

who is himself fully worthy of our trust.  Amen

-- Walter Brueggemann, from "Against a Closed Sky" in Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth