Sunday AM Prayer 7 July 2024

Offending God,

You sent Jesus to show me how to live and it can be so hard. To do the right thing, to think the right thing, to act out of love instead of insisting on being right. People are so good at peopling. And I am too. The love you show me through Jesus offends me too. Because. Well because of all the things. Losing to win. Weakness and suffering instead of power and glory. Sometimes my people look at me like I’m nuts and I feel nuts, so maybe they’re right? It’s hard sometimes. To point to your ways, to live your way instead of my way. I’m so good at depending on my wisdom, my world-won hunches, falling prey to my own ego. Gah. But your way clearly leads me to the cross, and the cross pulls no punches. Or maybe it’s all punches at the cross. Sorry. It’s hard to describe the power of letting go, of failure and loss in order for the whole world to be saved. To know love. You’ve sent me into this work – this work of love as loss. And you’ve sent me buddies so I’m not alone. And you’ve taught me to shake the dust off my feet when I need to move along. It can be wearying.

So help me. Send your Spirit to stir it up, my weary heart. So that I can see the power of your love as the waters recede. As “summer worship numbers” persist. As I prepare for whatever time off or trip or office hours or gallivanting around the villages where I live, stir up my heart’s memory. My heart’s vision. Remind me that it’s your power of love and not my own. And that your love spills over onto those who love me best and most. Remind me that you have given us power to forgive and to accept forgiveness. And that’s healing that cannot be underestimated. Thank you for your steady and freeing love. I’ll go and live it. I will try. Amen.

Take a deep breath, dear deacon, dear pastor, dear chaplain. For your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Don’t be afraid. God is with you.