God, we pray for an awakening!

Shepherd of Israel, listen!

You, the one who leads Joseph as if he were a sheep.

You, who are enthroned upon the winged heavenly creatures.

Show yourself before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh!

Wake up your power! Come to save us!

Restore us, God!

Make your face shine so that we can be saved!

Lord God of heavenly forces,

how long will you fume against your people’s prayer?

You’ve fed them bread made of tears;

you’ve given them tears to drink three times over!

You’ve put us at odds with our neighbors;

our enemies make fun of us.

Restore us, God of heavenly forces!

Make your face shine so that we can be saved!

Psalm 80 (Common English Bible)

I, too, have cried out to the God our Creator and asked him why he has held his favor from women. Why he has put us at odds with our fellow Christians, and why he has allowed our enemies to make fun of us?

I have pleaded with God and have poured out my heart to him.

When one woman is denied leadership in church simply because she was born a woman, all women are denied. Restrictions against women are nurtured in the church, and bleed out into society, causing women, children, and marriages to suffer.

(repost from 2012, but my heart has cried out this prayer to God this week for all women and girls. Will you pray this prayer with me?)