Sacredise - Prayer: Chains

Chains

by John van de Laar

We have grown familiar with chains.

Stumbled into by accident,

or carefully crafted by our own vice,

we have become used to their cold weight.

At times we even draw comfort from them,

finding a broken sense of identity in our victimhood,

or a platform for our self-righteous anger and violence.

And so our world remains imprisoned…

by the way we choose control and aggression

over peace and mutual understanding;

by the way we idolise quick answers and quick wealth

over preservation and careful management of natural resources;

by the way we allow our self-interest and greed

to overshadow the lives of the poor and hungry who die each day;

by the way we prefer hiding in a fortress of pride

over making things right and letting others into our hearts.

But, if we will listen, we can hear a voice

making a new way through this desert,

offering a new hope,

and gently seeking to loosen the chains.

Help us, Jesus, to follow this voice;

lead us like a Shepherd,

save us, and free us;

so that, as our chains fall away,

we may loosen the chains of others.

Amen.

Receive more prayers like this every month, along with tons of other free stuff, direct in your inbox.

Click here to learn more or to sign up now.