Lighten our Darkness

Lighten our darkness oh Lord we pray, for we who bear your name can no longer see our way.

We have eaten from what you had forbidden, and we know ourselves to be naked and ashamed.

We are exiled from the garden, and our world is full of bitter weeds.

There is tempest and storm and terror, and we feel ourselves shipwrecked and your deeps rise up against us

We have followed your command to leave the comfortable and familiar, but we cannot discern where the place of Your promise lies

You have promised us an inheritance and a future, but we ache with our barrenness

We wrestle with you, aching to be a people of integrity, but our fears are our downfall

Lighten our darkness, oh Lord!

Lighten our darkness oh Lord we pray.

We groan under the shackles of slavery, and do not know how to protect our own from death.

We stand on holy ground, but cannot believe your calling

We see how your judgement falls, but alien gods have twisted their fingers in our souls.

You kept us dry as we walked through the terrible waters, but our hearts are still the hearts of slaves.

We have trembled before the thunder of your commands, and are afraid to come too close to you.

We would rather worship the work of our own hands.

We have stepped back at the moment when you called us forwards, because our wilderness, whilst bitter, is safe and familiar.

Lighten our darkness, oh Lord!

Lighten our darkness, oh Lord we pray!

We have seen your victory, and rejoiced, but grew weary of the battle before the job was done.

Whenever we were not inspired, we returned to the old ways and the old habits, and were helpless to defend ourselves from oppression.

We wanted to look like everyone else around us, and your kingship was too high for us, so we made ourselves subject to the rulership of men.

We judge by outward appearance, and do not look upon the heart

We can be so faith-filled one minute, and fall prey to our most egregious appetites the next, and power and privilege are so quickly our corruption

We build your temple while our hearts are wandering away

Lighten our darkness oh Lord!

Lighten our darkness oh Lord we pray!

We all claim to be yours, but so easily divide between ourselves.

We follow corrupt leadership, because they offer us an easier way.

We find ourselves in exile from your promise, and do not believe you could have let this happen.

Only your angels stand between ourselves and ravening persecution

And when we return to the place we left, it seems a poor restoration, for the place itself has been defiled and diminished.

We strive to keep your law, and harden our hearts against each other in the process

We harden our hearts against you and do not even know what we have done.

We are proud to have put away our idols, and cannot see that we worship our  own piety.

Lighten our darkness oh Lord!

Lighten our darkness oh Lord we pray!

We need your deliverance, for we cannot redeem ourselves.

Unless you take our part, unless you take our place, we will never find your peace.

We wait for your redemption, for you are our redeemer

We hunger for that city which needs neither sun nor moon, for you, yourself are its light

We hunger for you, our only hope, our only way, our only truth, our only life.

Lighten our darkness oh Lord!