Oh God,
May Your Word teach us, and may Your Spirit change us.
May we be people of radical love and mercy and forgiveness, because You are the God of infinite love, mercy, and forgiveness. May we lose our eagerness to judge and gain a desire to love as You have.
May we be the people of hope, rather than the doomsdayers and the naysayers.
May we be known for our selflessness and sacrificial living, not for our politics or our causes. May we be known for good deeds rather than empty words.
May we stop pretending and be willing to live openly, vulnerably, and authentically. May we be honest about our own failings and accepting of others' failings.
May we stop excluding and dividing and shutting out. May we care less about labels and more about our identity in You.
May we be willing to give up our rights for the sake of others. May we love, live, and build community.
May we forget ourselves and look at those around us, moving towards them with open arms even when it's uncomfortable.
May we live the truth instead of defending our interpretations of it.
May we be courageous, trustworthy, and dependable.
May we be humble yet confident, remembering who we are and who You are.
May we overflow with joy and peace and thankfulness.
May we listen deeply and speak wisely.
May our beliefs, our words, and our actions all line up.
May we be a friend to the lonely, a safe place for the broken, a comfort to the hurting, a family to the homeless.
May we give freely - not just our money or our things or our time, but our very selves.
May we be different - radical, even - not in a way that puts us in the spotlight, but in a way that shines the spotlight on You and You alone.
May we live each day to the fullest, with eternity in sight. May we burst with anticipation at Your coming.
Oh God, may Your people become more like You.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment