Disgusted Prayer

Father, I don't know if you are as disgusted as I am by the pontificating and arguing that is happening in the wake of recent terrorist attacks. I suspect you have a much calmer, wiser view of it all. Please share it with me...and with those around me.

Please help us all to be ruled by facts rather than fear or sentimentalism.
Grant us both wisdom and mercy.
Save us from simplistic answers to complex problems; make us wise enough and patient enough not to reach for the viscerally satisfying "position" but to actually seek and find and work for solutions.
Deliver us from presumption and presuppositions,
from seeing things only from our default political positions,
from the stupidity of parroting what we read and hear online and on TV.
Help us to fight terrorism by refusing to be terrified
and to counter violence by respecting and reasoning with each other
rather than spouting slogans and dismissing or vilifying those with different perspectives.
Teach us to think things through.
Show us a better way.
Help us to put our trust in you and act accordingly.
Make us wise as serpents, harmless as doves.
Grant that this world's leaders may find ways to unite us and lead us,
but when they do not, inspire and energize us to do it anyway,
in Jesus' name, amen.

(image via everystockphoto.com)