Praying with Reverence

“Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out; they call for help because of the arm of the mighty. But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?” – from the words of Elihu in Job 35:9-10. Elihu’s role in the discussion between Job and his friends has been debated. Does he misunderstand Job’s plight and the reasons for it like Job’s older friends, or does he represent a proper perspective on Job’s actions? Whatever the case, his comments here regarding perspective in times of need or loss merit our attention. At times, we forget the blessings that God has given us. When we pray, let remember to thank God for what he has given even when we lament what we have lost. Elihu may not have understood Job, but he realized how pride shapes prayer when we hurt: We forget the blessings God has given, and focus on what we do not have.

Lord, We hurt, and we complain to you about our pain. Sometimes we blame you for our pain, ignoring our own culpability or the role that others have played. Help us to remember your love even as we lament our losses. Help us to believe even as what we hold dear is stripped away. Help us to hope when defeat seems certain. May we revere you as you deserve even as we lament. In Jesus name, Amen.