O God, . . . Do not hold against us the sins of past generations; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake. (Ps 79:8-9 NIV)

                I Mourn the Trees

I weep for trees: rainmakers, soil-holders,

Oxygen-producers, water-purifiers—

What every school child knows—

I weep for shade-makers, protectors from the heat of sun, 

I mourn the streambank guardians, flood inhibitors, forest habitats,

I mourn the loss of rhythms, cycles, patterns,

Life harmony in dissonance, life balance out of sync. 

Forgive us Lord, our disregard in caring for the earth.

We confess our destruction of the forests,

Muddying the waters, eroding mountain tops,

We abused our right to resources,

We overcut, destroyed the soil, desecrated holy ground,

Interrupted safeguards meant to guard all life.

I mourn the trees, I mourn the trees,

Lord, have mercy.

 

Find prayers of praise, thanksgiving, lament, confession, and intercession for the earth:

Drawing Close, Encountering Joy, An Artist’s Psalms and Prayers for the Earth. J. E. Kirk (Resource Pub. 2022)

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