a cry

down here, together but alone,

we're a wandering, restless, uncertain people,

selfish, stubborn, hurting and deceived.

intent on little things

we strive, stubbornly, to hold on to control,

manipulating minutia for the moment:  blind.

greedy, wasting time on trifles

grasping ugly clutter to hide from our thoughts,

from our God,

from our sin that keeps us from love.

aching, O God!

we are achingly desperate for the Savior we scoff at

and turn from, choosing wretched placebos

in place of redemption.

forgive us, O God,

our smallness, our blindness,

our sad, dumb attention to staleness and filth.

fill us, we cry,

with a longing, persistent,

insistent on You.

we're done with the darkness, God,

done with the smallness,

done with the clutter,

done hiding from you.

save us, O God,

from our selfishness, stubbornness.

save us, O God, from our hurting,

ourselves.

free us from darkness, God,

free us to see You; show us each other

and teach us to love.

open our eyes, God,

to see you, to hear you,

to feel

all Your love pouring down over us.

tip up our chins, God,

to look in your face

and know we are loved,

and know we're forgiven.

your bigness, O God, is an infinite mercy,

your goodness so good

that the overflow covers our lack 

and restores us to you.