Hear us, O Shepherd, You who lead your people like a flock.

You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth!

Let your light shine in the darkest of places and before all who prefer the darkness.

          Awaken your might; and come and save us.

Restore us, O God;

make your face shine upon us that we may be saved!

We long in the depths of our being to see your light.

          O Lord God Almighty,

it seems like you are angry with your people,

and that you are not listening to our prayers.

In our congregation today are those whom you have fed,

but their bread has been tears.

When we are broken hearted, we are supposed to come to you,

and you make us drink our tears by the bowlful.

          You have made us a source of contention to our neighbours.

People talk behind our backs saying that You are weak,

your people are fools,

your church is broken,

your salvation is a lie,

and to give ourselves to you is to prove our folly.

Atheists mock us.

Other religions mock us.

Our non-believing family members and friends mock us.

          We want to be restored, O God Almighty!

We want to have your face shine upon us!

We want to reflect your light and your glory for all to see!

We want to be saved!

          In the Bible you tell us that you are the vine and we are the branches.

You chose us to be a part of your vine.

You chose us.

You are the one who cleared the ground so we could be planted.

You are the one who gave us roots.

You are the one who has spread your church all around the world.

You have planted your people all over the world,

from the highest places to the lowest,

from the most powerful to the weakest,

you have sent shoots out all around.

          And so we ask you,

why does it seem that our church, the churches around us, and all over Canada and the United States,

are under siege and without a wall to protect us?

Why do we see the faith of ministers

and families

and marriages

and children

falling away.

We’re being picked off like a person picks grapes off of a vine!

Boars from the forest are ravaging your church,

we are left for dead,

and the vultures pick at us.

          Our deepest prayer is that you return to us, O God Almighty!

Look down from heaven and see what is going on!

Watch over your vine, nourish the roots that you have planted.

Care for the adopted children that you have brought to yourself.

          We feel cut down.

We feel weak.

We feel the flames.

We feel your rebuke,

the guilt of sin,

the knowledge of our own rebellion,

and we know that we are perishing

because of our disobedience.

          We ask you to remember us, Jesus our Lord.

We come humbly before the Son who sits at the right hand of the Father,

the Son of Man who was born of a virgin

and who died for us

and was raise up by God Himself!

Remember You chose us.

Remember that we are Your people

and make intercession for us before the Father.

          We commit ourselves once again by saying that we will not turn away from you.

If you revive us…

as individuals,

as families,

as a church,

as a town,

as a city,

as a province,

as a nation…

then we will call upon your name and give you glory and praise.

          Restore us, O Lord God Almighty;

make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved!

(Adapted from Psalm 80)