Prayer for the Grieving

[Scripture references: Psalm 34, Isaiah 53, Revelation 21:1-5]

Father, Comforter, Counselor, Creator of all, Dearest Friend,

I come in sadness, in grief, to you now

I come grateful that you are Lord who is near to the brokenhearted,

and I bring my grief here with me, as I sit at your feet, Jesus

Grief and loss, it can come in so many forms

Being separated by a loved one through death

Mourning the loss of hope, time, a dream

An expectation for something that hasn’t come

Or, perhaps there’s something in my heart that I’m grieving unknowingly

Sometimes I am tempted to dismiss my own grief,

To push it to the side, ignore it

Heavenly Father, you don’t dismiss my grief

You don’t encourage me to push it to the side, to ignore it

You invite me to lay it all before you

To come to you in my joys, sorrows, and everything in between

You love to care for me, to love me, especially in these moments when I am needy before you, Jesus

Help me now, Jesus, to set my grief before you

To share it with you -- comforter and dear friend

Even you, Jesus, were acquainted with grief

Man of Sorrows

You bore my grief, carried my sorrows

It’s what brought peace

Hear me now, Jesus

Would you move my heart toward peace now in these moments

-- -- --

Jesus, my thoughts move to heaven

A beautiful promise for a restored paradise

A place with no loss, no grief

Perfect fullness and union with you

Even in my grief

Here, in the in-between; the not-yet

I can experience comfort and goodness

A whisper of the paradise that’s coming

Oh Jesus, my heart leaps for joy at the thought of what you’ve promised

My eyes are teary, my heart humbled and in awe of the truth in your Word that says:

Revelation 21:1–5 (ESV)

[1] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. [2] And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. [3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. [4] He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

[5] And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

I pray in your name Jesus, the one who bore it all, through whom I hope and long for the promise to come,

Amen