On Our Backs? Worn Out? Look Up!

Albert Bogle December 27, 2018 0 0

Playlists

Add to Favourites

Save for later

Psalm 80: 7

7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Someone once said to me, “It’s only when we are flat on our backs that we can look up and listen to God.” Surely the text this morning echoes the cry of us all. Christians are facing a time of great change and unrest, not only in our denominational revisions but throughout the whole nation. Regardless what we believe, many of us are exhausted with Brexit, frustrated with bureaucratic church, weary of false charismatic leaders, but longing for a new encounter with the glory of God. For it is only his glory that can revive us.

So the cries go up. ‘Restore us Oh God, make your face shine upon us’. Oh how often have I prayed that benediction over the people of God whom I have pastored. The thing is unless God smiles on us we will never see the Kingdom come. The one thing I take comfort from is now that we are on our backs there is only one way to look and that’s upwards.

Almighty Life-giving Father,

We’re lying here 

Like dead bodies

Flat on our backs

Exhausted

Weary

Broken

A pile of dry bones

We’ve lost our place

We’ve lost our purpose

We lost our plans

We are your lost people

We have no muscle left

No flesh to make us look beautiful

Our outward appearance has gone

Our breath

Has long since departed

We are decaying in the sands of time

Yet somehow

We know 

We want to live

Come,

Breathe again upon our bones

Bring life back 

Rewind our demise

Re-imagine us again

As your people in your image

Your body in the world

Give us muscles to move 

Eyes to see

Tongues to speak and sing

And hearts to beat again 

Lord,

We’re waiting

We’re listening

Could it be we can hear

The sound of wind blowing 

Rushing 

Moving

Re-energising

Lord,

Is it Resurrection?

Lord,

We’re shining 

And it’s only Thursday