Doing my best to find my way.
In our prayers today, O God, we would remember the words of Jesus when he said, “You are the light of the world.”
In joy…light.
In sorrow…light.
In our certainty…light.
In our searching…light.
In this moment right now…light.
Tomorrow wherever we are and however we are…light.
So teach us what that might mean for us, O God;
For who we are;
And how we live:
And how we pray.
Amen.
Here we are, again, O God.
And while Christmas has come and gone in the world out there,
And so many have moved on to what comes next;
Here it is Christmas still.
For all that we have seen and heard…
For all that has been given to us…
For all that we have to ponder in our own hearts;
About the wonder and meaning and mystery of the season…
We give you thanks.
Help to create some space in our lives so that some part of all of this finds its way deep into our hearts and minds and souls so that our eyes are open a bit more and our hearts are open a bit more so we begin to see the world a bit more like you see the world; see each other a bit more like the way you see each of us.
We pray that it might be so.
In these Advent Days, O God, may our hearts lead the way;
Because despite all the pressure to the contrary:
The tinsel;
The glitter;
The relentless pressure to buy, buy, buy;
Our hearts long for something more.
For something deeper.
For something much more real.
For that which we often cannot quite name, but somehow we know.
And, so we pray, God…
Turn us around.
Point us in the right direction.
Turn us in the direction of the One who comes to be the Prince of Peace.
Turn us in the direction of a star that still might lead the way.
Turn us in the direction of unexpected angels who meet us on the street or in the store.
Turn us, we pray, in the direction of Christmas.
Deepen our gratitude, O God.
Push is so deeply into our hearts and minds and souls:
So deeply into who we are and how we live;
So deeply so that the moment we say Thank you;
Our lives are turned in the direction of compassion and kindness and justice and peace.
Deepen our gratitude, O God;
So that we pray not just with our words, but with our lives.
So that we lift our eyes not just towards You, but also towards each other.
So that when others turn to You in their need, our hand is there to lift them up.
Amen.
O God, this morning we ask that You help push our prayers deeper.
Past those every day prayers we whisper over the headlines in the news or as we rush from one moment to the next. Far past those prayers for what we want or think we need. Instead we ask that You push us beyond what is safe and plunge us deep into our hearts and minds and souls so that, for a moment at least, we pray from that place of our deepest longings which touch on the best of who we are and the best of who we are called to be and the best of what we can imagine for ourselves and for each other and for the entire human family.
The words we use today may be the same ones we use at other moments, but our yearning is more. And so we pray…
Surrounded still by brokenness, we pray for hope and wholeness.
Surrounded still by divisiveness, we pray for wisdom to find a way forward and the courage to build bridges.
Surrounded still by heartbreak and heartache, we pray for healing arms.
Surrounded still…
And so we would pray, O God, not just upwards, but outwards with our words and with our lives into the world You continue to love so very, very much.
And, we pray, too, for all those whom we know and for those circles upon circles stretching towards all who fall within the circle of Your grace.
We pray adding our strength to their need and our joy to their joy and our gratitude to theirs knowing and trusting and believing…that it makes a difference.
And so, our prayers this day, O God…
From the best of who we are the best of who we are called to be.
And, may our lives follow where our prayers first lead.
Amen.
O God,
If we send our prayers up;
Let us also send them out.
Pushing them out into the world.
Towards the needs of others;
And, the dreams of others;
And, the sorrow of others;
And, the hopes of others.
For in some way, O God, in Your grand scheme of things
It is when we link hands and join lives;
And, when we stand with each other and for each other
That we discover You in our midst
And Your Kingdom come made present.
So, let us pray that way, O God.
For those whom we name and all those who find themselves hurting or broken or sad or alone. And, knowing that our first and our best prayer is often Thank you, let us pray that way, O God. Giving thanks this day and for the life and love which both surround us and sustain us. And, having reached out towards one another with our prayers, let us also reach out towards one another with our lives.
Amen.
