Forty Days Alone

Forty days alone,

a wilderness of thoughts,

tempting and inviting thoughts,

which could so easily have distracted you

from your task, your mission,

your vision.

Yet you emerged, stronger and more attuned

to all that had to be done,

despite a time constraint

that to our eyes would have seemed hopeless.

We too live in stressful times.

Demands are made of our time,

that leave so little

for the important things of life.

We are easily distracted

in the wilderness of our lives,

by every call to go this way or that,

to turn stone to bread

leap from mountains,

and do all that would keep us from the truth.

We listen to the voices of this world,

and ignore the one who endured all this

and so much more,

and emerged triumphant,

that we might not have to suffer so.

Forgive us, Father,

when we get distracted from our task.

Forgive us those times when we try

to be all things to all men,

and fail to be anything to anyone

Amen

© Trustees of the National Galleries of Scotland 2004

Christ as the Man of Sorrows

by William Dyce

Prayer by John Birch, and posted on his Faith and Worship website.