Prepare (a psalm for finals)

I'm blogging for Advent, following along with the themes that we're focusing on at Crossroads. I talk more about why I'm doing this in an earlier post. This week's theme is "prepare." 

This week we're focusing on how we prepare a way for God, in our lives and in community. What most people in my immediate vicinity are preparing to do right now, though, is to take finals, so I thought I'd  share an adaptation of Psalm 69 that I passed out to the college students I work with (with apologies to all my wonderful and not-in-the-least-bit sadistic professors. It's a solidarity thing.):

Save me, God, because my finals have reached my neck!
I have sunk into papers up to my waist. My feet can’t touch the bottom!
I have entered deep water;
    and not in the “whoa, man, that’s deep,” sort of way,
    but more like the “I’m totally done with this crap” sort of way.
I am tired of crying. And tired of studying.
My throat is hoarse. My eyes are exhausted.
I’m pretty sure my hands have been shaking for days.

I need to stop drinking coffee.

I can’t stop drinking coffee.

LORD God of heavenly forces!
Don’t let those who hope in you be put to shame just to satisfy our professors’ sadistic tendencies.
God of those who struggle!
Don’t let those who seek you be disgraced by this season of stress.
Let heaven and earth praise God, the quad too, and all that moves within it!
God will most certainly save us,
and will rebuild our bruised psyches,
so that we can live on as God’s servants (and also finally get some sleep).

 --

 Remember: Jesus loves you, not your GPA. Take deep breaths! You can do it!