A Prayer for Waiting

For those who watch
as a loved one declines toward death.

Our times are in your hands, O Lord
our good times and our bad,
our times of long waits, worry and weariness,
our times of uncertainty,
waiting for our mother to be released from her suffering.

Our mother is in your hands, O Lord.
She has been in your hands throughout her life
as she shared her years with her husband
and her love with us.

Even now, she remains in your hands
as her mind diminishes and her life ebbs away.
It hurts us to watch and wait by her side,
but we thank you that she is still in your hands
and will remain in your hands throughout eternity.

Into your hands we commend her spirit,
for you have redeemed her, O Lord, faithful God.

Into your hands we commend our spirits,
broken, weary and grieving,
trusting, hoping and waiting—

waiting for the time
when you will wipe every tear from our eyes
and destroy suffering and death.

©March 15, 2019, by Rev. Michael A. Weber.
For permission to reprint this poem contact the author at
msnrweber@verizon.net