In All Our Distress

Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we decided to be left alone in Athens; and we sent Timothy, our brother and co-worker for God in proclaiming the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you for the sake of your faith, so that no one would be shaken by these persecutions. Indeed, you yourselves know that this is what we are destined for. In fact, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were to suffer persecution; so it turned out, as you know. For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith; I was afraid that somehow the tempter had tempted you and that our labor had been in vain.
But Timothy has just now come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love. He has told us also that you always remember us kindly and long to see us—just as we long to see you. For this reason, brothers and sisters, during all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you through your faith. For we now live, if you continue to stand firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13 

In All Our Distress

Loving Creator, Friend of the lost
we are wearied and distressed
our confinement has broken us
we are moment by moment
given to tears and failures.

You do not measure us by our tears
or remember all our mistakes
you hover over our fitful sleep
you breathe love when anger fills us
you do not abandon even the least.

Help us to see you smile in sunlight
your forgiveness in the birdsong
your renewal in the budding leaves
your hope as the earth comes alive
your love for us in every breath.

Let us be grateful in every moment
help us be strong even with tears
help us to love fiercely at a distance
forgive completely past and present
make us always abound in love. Amen