Prayers for Creation, Inspired by Isaiah

“The earth turns gaunt and gray, the world silent and sad, sky and land lifeless, colorless. Earth is polluted by its very own people, who have broken its laws, disrupted its order.” (Isaiah 24:4–5 MSG)

Father, Creator of all,

Forgive me. For the ways I’ve contributed to the ruined state of our world, forgive me. For the ways I’ve added—carelessly and consistently—to the Earth’s pollution, forgive me. For the ways my greed and desire to consume—whatever I want, when I want—have caused others to have less, or have caused others to work in unsafe or unhealthy conditions, or have caused others to turn away from You . . . because they see in me a person consumed by greed instead of a person clothed in Christ . . . forgive me.

You are Creator. This world, the sky, its land all belong to You. May I treat Your created world with care and compassion. May order be restored.

Amen.

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“Chaos pours out of the skies. The foundations of earth are crumbling. Earth is smashed to pieces, earth is ripped to shreds, earth is wobbling out of control. … Its piled-up sins are too much for it. It collapses and won’t get up again. That’s when … God-of-the-Angel-Armies will take over, ruling from Mount Zion.” (see Isaiah 24:16–23 MSG)

When life feels like chaos,

When it seems the foundations of earth are crumbling all around me,

When I feel helpless, wanting to help but not knowing what to do,

Lord, step in. Lord, take over.

Lord, take control.

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“Depend on God and keep at it because in the Lord God you have a sure thing. Those who lived high and mighty he knocked off their high horse. He used the city built on the hill as fill for the marshes. All the exploited and outcast peoples build their lives on the reclaimed land.” (see Isaiah 26:1-6 MSG)

Lord God,

You are Defender of the outcast. You are Protector of the poor. Help me to do the same.

In words, in actions, in intentional choices that I make every day, help me to see those around me who have less, or who have been discarded, or who feel forgotten, and help me to come to their aid.

In words, in actions, in intentional choices that I make every day, help me not to make life harder for those who already have it hard. Help me to live with compassion and a heart that desires to serve. Help me to have eyes that see those opportunities for service. Help me to have hands that drop other work in order to do the work that pleases You.

Lord, reclaim my heart for Your purpose. Lord, reclaim our land so that all peoples—all around the world—can experience the good and holy and bountiful life that You intended for us from the beginning.

Remake me, Lord. Reclaim me, Lord.

I am Yours.

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“Yes, weep and grieve until the Spirit is poured down on us from above and the badlands desert grows crops and the fertile fields become forests.” (Isaiah 32:15 MSG)

Spirit, pour down.

Another storm is approaching. Another headline with more bad news. And Lord, I can’t help but feel partially responsible. I am trying to make changes in my life, but they are small, and most days, they feel insignificant.

But You say I can weep and grieve until Your Spirit is poured down, so Lord, I give You my tears.

I give You my tears, and I hope for a miracle. I hope for safety. I hope for change. I hope for storms to de-escalate. I hope for climate change and global warming to be reversed. I hope for Christians all around the world to join together and make changes together so that Your Earth can be cared for and Your people—everywhere—can be protected.

Spirit, pour down. 💛

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