Faithful Prayer

I believe in God but I think he doesn't like me very much! No seriously, I tell people I am not particularly religious, but hopefully not forever. I want some faith in my life. Faith is like an insurance policy. Faith is a manipulator. Ever since Russell Crowe prayed before he entered the coliseum in Gladiator I knew faith was the only difference between life and death. Imagine if he had just been sat there trembling like a leaf, waiting for the gates to open? It would have been a different story. Instead of being dragged out whimpering like a babby to his death, he strode out into the arena with his faith. I especially love the bit when he disobediently walks back to those huge gates after he is victorious, like he owns the damn thang and he just wants to go back to bed. And the bit when he throws his sword into the crowd at the emperor. But I won’t allow myself to get started on Crowe, jeez! Coz then it'll be Clooney and Geer......


A PRAYER, written on the summer solstice of 2007

Please God, let us learn your intentions
Allow us to discover what you want for us
Help us to accept the challenge of your plans
And succeed throughout the passage of time
When we fail we know you will still be there for us
But we will try again and again
To be good because we know it is right

The greatest barrier between us and you
Are the petty battles within ourselves
With knowledge of our problems
And awareness in peaceful moments like this
Guide us to a state of mind
Where we are free from our own follies
And able to consider others
As we dream of being considered ourselves

Let possessions not be our shackles
Our prison not society
We exist in such a vast place
And we are such small creatures
And the world is full of so many things
But we have the freedom to decide
What it is we like our eyes to see
Who it is we each can be
We will try
Again and again
Again and again and again and again
Amen

© Andrew Donegan 2007