2022-11-22 A Prayer: Mission Focus

O Lord, there is no puzzle in life where You are not present. Help us Your mission to uncover, to draw beside, to come into contact with. Help us be astute and poignant, determined to Share and to Bless.

We cannot stage-manage nor choose safe paths. We are given strength to face the unknown. See us coping with a reactionary nature in ourselves; see us regret not being a safe space, lashing out, making frustrated accusations, acting as though there is some hatred in the midst of peace.

Times past were sufficient for an anatomy, top-to-bottom survey, of what is in our heart of hearts. And we came up lacking. We came up clamoring for easier digs, for “safe” harbor, for our own kinfolk rather than for the troubled soul “out there”.

We strove to build up, but instead our words caused offense. We stumbled and wrestled internally; we feared our words and gestures were inadequate. We received, but could not repay.

We found the potential to encounter life as it truly is, together, in difficulty and hardship, in incongruity, in that call simply to rest in the Good Words of the religion we hold: God is for us; God has no stage-fright; God is proud thus to be named; You O Lord are content to be the reason for the joy in us. You are our license to dwell post-Resurrection, post-wrestling match, post-familiarity and post-false ease. So we thank You, that in Your brothers and sisters is found depiction, pattern, of life as it truly is, invitation to pray properly and for the muddled circumstances, the hard-pressed coming togethers, the simple gift of reminders and presence and a center that can indeed hold. For we will always have You, but part and parcel of Your presence are so many near folk.

We pray all this in Your Name, Amen.