29. Fly Away
Father of Creation ,
God of Faithfulness,
If we ascend up into heaven,
You are there:
and if we make our bed in hell,
you are there.
We have made our climate bed,
It is hell
And we may well lie in it.
But you are there, and
You are here.
To you be all praise and glory
As temperatures rise you are there,
As sea levels rise you are there.
Comforting,
Loving,
You offer Proximity and Presence.
Challenging,
Beckoning,
You offer Proximity and Presence.
Father of Creation
God of Faithfulness,
If were to take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead us And Your right hand shall hold us,
To you be praise and glory
We have travelled to the uttermost part of the sea,
As sons and daughters into the far country,
We have followed the siren song of consumerist delight, and now,
We reap what we have sown, and
Without help we will be dashed against the rocks.
But even here you hold us.
To you be praise and glory
As temperatures rise,
You hold us.
As sea levels rise
You hold us.
Comforting,
Loving,
Offering us Proximity and Presence.
Challenging,
Beckoning
Offering us Proximity and Presence.
If we had the wings of a bird we would fly away,
Away from the grief,
Away from the hurt,
Away from the existential threat which humanity faces.
But we don’t have wings and are bound to frail flesh.
But in our grief, hurt and danger,
You are there and your hand will guide us
Loving,
Comforting,
Offering Proximity and Presence.
Challenging,
Beckoning,
Offering Proximity and Presence.
And so we lift up to you,
The foolish decisions from councils, corporations and governments, to
Expand airports &
Expand flights,
Despite the sure and certain knowledge that, as it currently stands,
Such a choice plunges us further into the catastrophic and choppy waters
Of runaway climate breakdown,
Lord, have mercy.
Bring repentance and recalibration,
We pray.
In our foolishness
Love us and comfort us.
Lord, have mercy
In our foolishness
Challenge and Beckon us
Afresh to
To the beautiful dream,
The better story
In which our desire for overseas holidays,
Does not outweigh our commitment for justice, peace and the flourishing of all.
And so we lift up to you,
Our temptations and desires,
To travel the world and behold the wonder
Knowing that, as it stands, our flights support an industry that brings destruction.
When we did not know, we could not act.
Now we know, we must act,
We must perform and participate in a kingdom manner
That does justice and loves mercy.
In our foolishness,
Love us and comfort us.
Lord, have mercy
In our foolishness
Challenge and Beckon us afresh
To the beautiful dream,
The better story
In which our desire for overseas holidays
Does not outweigh our commitment for justice, peace and the flourishing of all.
And so we pray for those who fly
For family reasons, business or recreation,
Those who fly knowingly
Or unknowingly in the context of climate breakdown,
We ask that we would not judge,
Lest we be judged.
We ask that we would be peaceable and loving.
Lord, have mercy
For families torn between affordable holidays abroad and expensive holidays at home,
Lord, have mercy.
For families torn between those who fly and those who won’t,
Lord, have mercy
Father of Creation,
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
If we were to take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead us And Your right hand shall hold us,
To you be praise and glory
Amen
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