When the air grows heavy,
and the heat feels less like the warmth of summer
and more like the weight of sorrow;
when the oil of hatred, racism, and bigotry leaves its stain
both upon those we encounter and those we love;
when the mud of grief and sadness follows us into every room,
tracking across the floors of our hearts,
dimming the windows of our hope,
filling with dust the drapes of our faith
and making even joy feel difficult to recognize—
Lord, stand by us.

Wash us in your never-ending wells of mercy.
Clothe us again with your garments of grace.
Dry us in your loving arms,
holding us close until every drip of doubt…
and every drop of fear
is carried away by your faithful hands.
And then Lord, we will rejoice and sing
as the Hymnist wrote
“Jesus paid it all, All to Christ we owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, But God washed it!”
You Lord, washed it.
Lord, wash us afresh, wash us anew now.
In Jesus name. Amen

Rev. Dr. Ronald Bell, II