God, our Rock and our Comfort
Hear our prayer.
Our hearts break for all those
Who have lost their homes in this deadly blaze.
The victims are in shock.
Life as they knew it,
All their treasured possessions,
Beloved heirlooms,
Touchstones for so many cherished memories
Were swept away in an instant.
Their sense of place and home
Their safety and stability have been shaken.
Help us, God, to anchor them,
To shelter, support and steady them with love
As the numbness wears off,
The enormity of the loss sets in
And the work before them begins.
Be with them, God,
Be their strength and their comfort,
Shield them from despair,
Let them know You are near.
Fill them with the courage they will need to begin again.
Bless the firefighters and first responders, God,
And watch over them
As they put their own lives at risk
To protect our beloved city.
Work through us, God,
Transform our helplessness into action,
Inspire us with the determination
And the perseverance we will need
To bring devastated neighborhoods back to life.
Fill us all with the vision of the new days that lie ahead,
A dream of our city restored.
Let Jeremiah’s prophecy of hope enter every heart and soul:
“The city shall be rebuilt upon its ruins!”
So may it be,
And let us say, Amen.