It is amazing God, that your desire for us to serve you is not what we
might expect. You don’t ask us to please you so that you provide us what we
need, or to sacrifice all to make monuments or statutes to your name. You don’t
desire worship at your feet to so that you can bask in words of praise that
build your ego. Instead, it is serve you with love, through reaching out to
those whose cries you hear, who are hurting, and those who are treated as less
than your beloved children. You ask us to turn our hearts towards serving the
needs of your children, our siblings, in your universal family- serving in the
ways that we witness Jesus do.
And so this morning, we look to you for ways that we can do for others O
God. We seek the humility and compassion
that Jesus exudes, longing to teach us as we follow his steps in your ways.
When we would myopically focus on ourselves, concerned with only how
something impacts us personally, open our spirits to others.
When we seek your interventions in the challenges
and suffering of the world, remind us that you ask us to become part of your
work. Provide us direction as we long for:
Freedom
for those who are oppressed,
The end to violence in all its forms,
And
that all who hunger for food, for water, for medical care and safe housing be
satisfied.
When we pray for the end to all hate and discrimination, remind us that
you have already provide to each of us what is needed for the elimination of
the vestiges of racism and other isms that infest our systems, institutions,
and sometimes even our very self.
Where we lack the humility to do
so, grant it to us- where we would confuse accountability for making changes
that eradicate these vestiges of hate with being blamed or judged as causing
them, move us to put aside our pride and instead be more concerned with how
systemic racism, misogyny and other forms of hate and fear of differences
affect others. Give us the willingness to bear the cost that may come with such
changes, reminding us of those who have paid the cost for centuries on their
own.
We hope that this pandemic is heading towards an end. As it does, give
us the willingness to reach across the divides, to sit at the same table and
with others with whom we may disagree. Even if they are not returned, move us
to reach out to them with love and compassion.
Remind us that serving others may not bring us
praise, or adulation- for Jesus was often criticized, even violently opposed.
He continued to serve by refusing to return the violence and instead accept
death as another act of love, revealing a different way.
For it through our actions of
dignity towards all that your love is expressed,
Your love is experience in our
acts of compassion,
In our welcome and embrace of all
people as your children your grace and reconciling ways are spread.
We lift up these
and all the prayers of our hearts and spirits in Jesus’ name. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment