Last Sunday Harriet reminded us in the very telling phrase that when we pray we do not pray as the alone praying to the alone. This sentence has stuck with me since then and I have noticed in my prayers that I do sense myself as part of something much bigger. And I am more aware also that prayers are going to God even when I have ceased my own. This reminded me of a hymn I would often sing to myself in Sri Lanka in the evenings as I watched the sun going down in the direction where so many of my family and friends were. Here are the well known words which I encourage you to read slowly and notice which lines stand out for you. You could also listen to it here by clicking here: (13) The Day Thou Gavest Lord Is Ended : The Choir of the Abbey School, Tewkesbury – YouTube
The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended;
The darkness falls at Thy behest;
To Thee our morning hymns ascended,
Thy praise shall sanctify our rest.
We thank Thee that Thy church unsleeping,
While earth rolls onward into light,
Through all the world her watch is keeping,
And rests not now by day or night.
As o’er each continent and island
The dawn leads on another day,
The voice of prayer is never silent,
Nor dies the strain of praise away.
The sun that bids us rest is waking
Our brethren ‘neath the western sky,
And hour by hour fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.
So be it, Lord! Thy throne shall never,
Like earth’s proud empires, pass away;
Thy kingdom stands, and grows for ever,
Till all Thy creatures own Thy sway.
I love the sense of the global church that the song conveys, that we are linked to millions of other Christians that worship and pray and seek to serve and be faithful to Jesus. Especially after this last year and the continued uncertainty it is important to remember this. I love also that there is an unceasing offering of prayer and that just as the sun rises and goes through its circuit, so do the prayers of the church. When we can feel tired and worn down, being reminded of this can refresh and renew us.
Who knows, but perhaps the prayers of a person in Namibia or someone in Hong Kong are holding you up as they pray for their brothers and sisters in Scotland. So next time when we listen to the intercessions on a Sunday and we come to the part where we pray for other parts of the Anglican Communion, let’s really join in.
And finally the hymn has a great sense of confidence that God has not abandoned his world, that it still is his, even when things are in such a mess and that we can be hopeful for its final outcome. Each decision we make and step we take to live in line with the values of his kingdom will bear fruit in time.
Rev. Paul Watson
