2023-05-23 A Prayer: A Pleasing Faith

O Lord, we long to please. Encourage a faith in what prize awaits our good testimony. Help us deal frankly with spirits that never seem capable of being pleased. We go low, only to be slapped and pushed aside. We go bold, only to be shunned and dismissed. We go accepting, only to be ousted as reckless. We go principled, only to be reminded that after all there is some work that needs to be done. And it isn’t us the ones doing it. Yet, do we deserve more?

See the equal exchange of Fatherly goodness even as we are mid-course. Even as we are somewhere on the sliding scale of faith, first of all, and progress, second of all: faith that leads to journeyman, journeywoman state of mind. Faith that we rightly discerned that twinkle in the eye and joy at hearing of our travails. Faith that we can be brought low without losing our guideline, our tether, to Your care. We can rewind and do it all again, hidden joy at the certain Salvific Faith that we are capable of making that acceptance of Your good offer, we are capable of tending to a fireplace embers in prayer, we are confident in no room for punishing error except to be minded and purposed around Goodness, as You confidently defend in us, being our Counselor and Defender. Now, and not just tomorrow.

For we hear confidence in us Your creation, and thrive. We wanted to please, and ended up giving words of testimony, hearts courageous out of necessity rather than out of design, for You hide Yourself and reveal Yourself in good time.

Help us to be bravehearted, to thrive, and to do so winsomely, determined, bold and audacious, to stand up for all good things. Even as we murmur out of a place of sorrow, helped in our panoramic view today by the knowledge that You go with us, and You stand by each and every time-tested, time-worn witness. We live for this brand of moral life, the living blessed by You Resurrected again to New Life.

There, You made a common-place, tender, easy spirit now bold: to be those people Alive, Saved, and Beloved. We can find a vote of confidence in ourselves, and in our life with You, from our sad backdrops. So reveal in us contrite yet belonging spirits, in our hearts and in our times of fellowship together.

We pray all this in Your Name, Amen.