My heart never stops working
The always pumping muscle constantly in motion
Perfectly timed
Defying gravity
Never sleeping
Or on holiday
No taking a lunch break
Or coffee break
Generally not complaining about overtime
The work of my heart is like that of a mother's
Never ending
Unseen
Unrewarded
But felt when it stops
The work of my heart goes beyond traffic management
My heart works to love unhindered
My heart yearns to create beauty
My heart longs to heal cruel wounds
My heart desires to build reconcilation
My heart wants to end injustice
My heart toils in wants, needs, and desires
My body is too weak
The strong, unyielding work of my heart
Longs to break free
Lord, I offer up my heart's work to You.
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Saturday, July 05, 2014
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
A New Adventure: Call to Confession
While on our road trip from Texas to California, my husband, Andrew, and I stopped in Iowa to visit his family and friends from his college days (they are now very much my friends as well). One of our stops for the Iowa leg of our trip, was the church where Andrew's college roommate is the pastor. As much as I loved singing from the Country and Western Hymnal, I really appreciated the Call to Confession and Prayer of Confession that they used for their service, and I wanted to share them.
Call to Confession (said by the pastor):
With trembling hearts, knowing that we seldom discern our own errors, we turn ourselves to God. Now is the acceptable time to come to the One who takes no delight in burnt offerings, but accepts sincere prayers of confession. Let us repent and believe as we pray.
Prayer of Confession (said by congregation):
O Sovereign God, we confess that our plans for ourselves ignore the needs of many of our sisters and brothers. We try to shut out the larger world that does not fit our comfortable design. We are angry when called to account and bitter when circumstances do not work out to our advantage. We are quick to see the sins of others and slow to recognize our own. Keep us from throwing stones, O God, and protect us from the missiles others would throw at us. Forgive our preoccupation with minor concerns and lead us to focus on sharing love and forgiveness. Through Christ. Amen.
Now I know many would say that a pre-written prayer could never work for confessing our sins to God, because we have to name them specifically in order to repent and receive forgiveness. I don't know about you, but when I say this prayer out loud it definitely brings to mind the sins of omission and commission, especially in areas that if it were up to me, I would skip right over and keep going in my usual merry sinful way. So, I would encourage those who have not tried a pre-written prayer of confession, give it a go. You might be surprised what the Holy Spirit does through it. Let this be a new adventure for you.
Call to Confession (said by the pastor):
With trembling hearts, knowing that we seldom discern our own errors, we turn ourselves to God. Now is the acceptable time to come to the One who takes no delight in burnt offerings, but accepts sincere prayers of confession. Let us repent and believe as we pray.
Prayer of Confession (said by congregation):
O Sovereign God, we confess that our plans for ourselves ignore the needs of many of our sisters and brothers. We try to shut out the larger world that does not fit our comfortable design. We are angry when called to account and bitter when circumstances do not work out to our advantage. We are quick to see the sins of others and slow to recognize our own. Keep us from throwing stones, O God, and protect us from the missiles others would throw at us. Forgive our preoccupation with minor concerns and lead us to focus on sharing love and forgiveness. Through Christ. Amen.
Now I know many would say that a pre-written prayer could never work for confessing our sins to God, because we have to name them specifically in order to repent and receive forgiveness. I don't know about you, but when I say this prayer out loud it definitely brings to mind the sins of omission and commission, especially in areas that if it were up to me, I would skip right over and keep going in my usual merry sinful way. So, I would encourage those who have not tried a pre-written prayer of confession, give it a go. You might be surprised what the Holy Spirit does through it. Let this be a new adventure for you.
Monday, January 16, 2012
I Have A Prayer
A Disclaimer: This post is also a reflection of my personal beliefs and convictions, and not necessarily position of the agency I currently work for.
This morning, my husband and I listened to Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech in commemoration of this day. As I listened, it reminded me of something a co-worker recently said in a meeting, "This [poverty] is this generation's march." I am serving on a committee at work that is looking at what our community (Fort Worth, TX and Tarrant County) would like look out of poverty, and this statement was said as a part of one of those meetings. I pray that Dr. King will be honored today as I create my own version of his speech for this generation's march.
I pray for the day when employers will go beyond the minimum wage and pay a living wage to their employees and take up their honorable duty to provide medical benefits to all employees no matter how many hours they work, so that parents do not have decided between medical care or groceries for their families.
I pray for the day when medical care is provided for everyone despite employment status, so that no one has to live in fear of getting sick or injured. I pray for the day that the World Health Organization does not rank the United States "slightly ahead of Chad and Rwanda, but just behind Bangladesh and the Maldives" (The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care, Reid, T.R.) in terms of fairness in access to medical care.
I have a prayer today!
I pray for the day when those who do not worry about paying bills will not pity and disparage those who need assistance, just assuming that they are lazy, but will reach out a hand and walk side-by-side with a neighbor no matter how they found themselves in need.
I pray for the day that high school graduates do not have assume a mortgage sized debt in order to get a college degree.
I pray for the day that healthy food is not only accessible to all, but affordable as well.
I pray for the day that poverty does not lend itself to creating victims of modern and sexual slavery.
I have a prayer today!
I pray for the day that that Body of Christ will look past denominational labels and come together in being the hands and feet of Christ to carry out His words in Matthew 25: 34-36.
I pray that God will show me how to care for "the least of these" in my community.
But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining a world without poverty, we must not be guilty of just throwing money at a "problem." Let us not seek to relieve ourselves of discomfort at the sight of those in need by drinking from the cup of disdain and indifference. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of love and compassion. We must not allow a creative protest against social injustice to degenerate into a pat on the back. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting material complacency with soul conviction.
The marvelous new awareness of poverty, which is engulfing communities must not lead us to a distrust of all those with means, for there are many who seek to alleviate the burden of poverty. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of those in poverty.
We cannot walk alone.
This morning, my husband and I listened to Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech in commemoration of this day. As I listened, it reminded me of something a co-worker recently said in a meeting, "This [poverty] is this generation's march." I am serving on a committee at work that is looking at what our community (Fort Worth, TX and Tarrant County) would like look out of poverty, and this statement was said as a part of one of those meetings. I pray that Dr. King will be honored today as I create my own version of his speech for this generation's march.
I pray for the day when employers will go beyond the minimum wage and pay a living wage to their employees and take up their honorable duty to provide medical benefits to all employees no matter how many hours they work, so that parents do not have decided between medical care or groceries for their families.
I pray for the day when medical care is provided for everyone despite employment status, so that no one has to live in fear of getting sick or injured. I pray for the day that the World Health Organization does not rank the United States "slightly ahead of Chad and Rwanda, but just behind Bangladesh and the Maldives" (The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care, Reid, T.R.) in terms of fairness in access to medical care.
I have a prayer today!
I pray for the day when those who do not worry about paying bills will not pity and disparage those who need assistance, just assuming that they are lazy, but will reach out a hand and walk side-by-side with a neighbor no matter how they found themselves in need.
I pray for the day that high school graduates do not have assume a mortgage sized debt in order to get a college degree.
I pray for the day that healthy food is not only accessible to all, but affordable as well.
I pray for the day that poverty does not lend itself to creating victims of modern and sexual slavery.
I have a prayer today!
I pray for the day that that Body of Christ will look past denominational labels and come together in being the hands and feet of Christ to carry out His words in Matthew 25: 34-36.
I pray that God will show me how to care for "the least of these" in my community.
But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining a world without poverty, we must not be guilty of just throwing money at a "problem." Let us not seek to relieve ourselves of discomfort at the sight of those in need by drinking from the cup of disdain and indifference. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of love and compassion. We must not allow a creative protest against social injustice to degenerate into a pat on the back. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting material complacency with soul conviction.
The marvelous new awareness of poverty, which is engulfing communities must not lead us to a distrust of all those with means, for there are many who seek to alleviate the burden of poverty. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to the freedom of those in poverty.
We cannot walk alone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)