We Cannot Pray

We cannot pray to You, Oh God,
to banish war, for You have filled the world
with paths to peace, if only we would take them

        We cannot pray to You to end starvation
        for there is food enough for all if only we would share it

We cannot merely pray for prejudice to cease,
for we could see the good in everything that lies before our eyes
if only we would use them

        We cannot merely pray, “Root out despair,”
        for the spark of hope already waits within our hearts
        for us to fan the flames

We must not ask You, Oh God, to take away the task
that You have given us. We cannot flee away, avoiding obligation forever

        Therefore we pray for wisdom and will,
        for courage to do and to become, not only
        to look on with helpless yearning
        as though we had no strength

For Your sake ours, speedily and soon let it be:
that all lands may be safe,
that all lives may be blessed