Please note:
This is the unedited, unproofed,
initial copy of the manuscript of the book that was published in 1999 under the title JESUS ¾OUR
FUTURE
It is now out of print, and not likely to have a second edition published.
I now make it
available on my web page for free. I hold the sole copyright, but am more
than happy for its prayers to be used
‘one-off’ within public worship, or church weekly news sheets, as long as
authorship and copyright is acknowledged
( eg: Copyright Bruce D Prewer, 1999. Used with the permission of the author).
Nevertheless, material from these pages cannot be reproduced in any other publication without the express permission of the author.
Bruce D Prewer
23 October 2010
Twenty-first
Century
CONTENTS
SAYING GOODBYE
Leader: Most loving God, we gather to say farewell
to a busy century in which we knew much goodness and joy but also much evil and
misery.
People: Help us today, to let go of the twentieth century without either
glamorising or deriding it, trusting
the inexhaustible grace of Christ Jesus to
use the best and discard the worst.
Leader: We join our prayers, gracious God, with the
church that has served
before
us and the church that will come after us.
People: We pray, O Lord, to direct and
guide your church with your unfailing care, that it may be diligent in times of
quiet, and daring in times of trouble. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen!
(Franciscan Breviary.C. 1226 AD)
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
God
our help in ages past, we leave behind the old century with gratitude and
thanksgiving for all achievements and remarkable individuals:
We
praise and thank you, Source of all joy.
For
the increased possibilities for good health:
Antibiotics and vaccinations, hearing aids and pacemakers, gentle
anaesthetics and open heart surgery, dietary knowledge and radiology:
We
praise and thank you, Source of good health.
For
advances in technology: Telephone and
motor cars, transistor radios and television, automatic tellers and aeroplanes,
cat scans and radio telescopes, computers and washing machines:
We
praise and thank you, Source of innovation.
For
agencies that reach out in love to the needy:
Red Cross and Amnesty, Community Aid Abroad and World Vision, Australian
Volunteers Abroad and our Flying Doctors:
We
praise and thank you, Source of compassion.
For
the renewal of your church: The
ecumenical healing of divisions and social justice struggles, fresh liturgies
and the outpouring of new hymns, charismatic movements and house churches:
We
praise and thank you, Source of rebirth.
For
your special people who have inspired us:
John Flynn and Helen Keller, Pope John XX111 and Martin Luther King,
Karl Barth and Mother Theresa, Billy Graham and Desmond Tutu.
We
praise and thank you, Source of the saints.
For
all who adored the God of steadfast love;
For
all who trusted the grace of Christ Jesus;
For
all who delighted in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit;
We
praise and thank you, God of the twentieth century!
Amen! Amen!
LITANY OF REPENTANCE
Leader: As we are typical citizens of the
Australian nation, let us repent both the individual and corporate evil that
has afflicted us during this century.
People: Loving God, Friend and Saviour, we confess
the sins which have infected and blighted our life style, and alienated us from
each other and from you.
Leader: We repent the racism, sometimes open,
sometimes furtive, which has increased the loneliness and misery of minority
groups.
People:
We confess our reluctance to understand or alleviate the pain of indigenous
people; we repent the massacres which took place early in this century and
present-day evasions and injustices.
Leader: We repent our ignorant, and at
times wilful, abuse of the land and its creatures, and our despoiling of the
soil, air and water.
People:
We confess the destruction of forests, depletion of the ozone layer, extinction
of unique animals, salination of large tracts of
lands, and pollution of river systems.
Leader: We repent our past arrogance
towards the races of the Pacific Islands and South East Asia.
People:
We confess hiding behind the infamous‘White Australia
Policy’, exploiting Papua-New Guinea, resenting Asian refugees, and using aid
for political purposes.
Leader:
We repent our apathy, and sometimes scorn, towards the unemployed and the
unemployable.
People: We confess the sin of condemning
youth to frustration and futility, or discarding loyal employees in their
fifties.
Leader:
We repent our slide into opinion poll morality, the cult of self indulgence,
and taxation by casino and poker machine.
People: We confess the politics of
expediency, the lack of prophetic courage, the use of the media for mass lying.
Leader:
We confess a legal system that favours the rich and a church culture which
favours the respectable.
People: We repent our neglect of prayer,
Scripture, social justice, evangelism, and our reluctance to make friends among
the disreputable, for Christ’s sake.
Leader:
Lord have mercy. People:
Lord have mercy.
Leader:
Christ have mercy. People: Christ have mercy.
Leader:
Lord have mercy. People: Lord have mercy.
FORGIVENESS
Leader:
My friends, step free from the dark face of the past and turn to the
light and hope of tomorrow. Listen to the Gospel: God did not send his Son to
condemn this century but that through Christ this world might be saved. You are
a much loved and forgiven people!
People: Thanks
be to God!
FOR
BETTER, FOR WORSE.
I bless you, my Friend, for all that you
have given me and all that you have taken from me. You are indeed a God of
love. Be with me, Lord, for the time to come. Keep me close to you, day by day,
night by night, and take away everything that hinders me from being altogether
yours. Amen!
Ashton
Oxenden (19th
C. Canada)
A CREED FOR NOW
We believe in the loving Creator,
whose generous providence has been above all,
beneath all and in all the moments and days of this twentieth century, and will
be at work in ages to come.
We believe in Jesus Christ,
whose saving grace finds, heals and
reconciles millions of lost sinners, including even us, and who calls us to the
ministry of reconciliation.
We believe in the Spirit of Truth,
whose tireless energy is at work through
all the upheavals, achievements, disappointments, joys and discoveries of this
era.
We believe in this wonderful God,
who loves our land and its people, and
is weaving through the tangled affairs of our nation, a purpose outreaching
anything we could imagine.
We believe that our belief is a
precious gift,
to be treasured, nurtured, shared and
dared to the praise and glory of God forever.
Amen
and Amen!
APPROACHING 2,000
Wonderful
God, while we wait for the third millennium, some of us expect too much while
others expect too little. Saviour-Friend, drive from us the childishness which
frets for signs and wonders; tear from us the cynicism which barricades the
soul against renewal.
Muscle
in with your healthy Spirit, that we may willingly attempt new patterns of
thinking, serving and worshipping. Toughen our faith to take risks for you, and
grant us the grace to make mistakes to your glory! Give us the resilience to
rise up from set-backs with an Easter eagerness and a Pentecost impertinence!
From
the rising of the sun to its going down, may your name be great among the
nations! Amen!
MILLENNIUM BUG
Lord
of history, you come to judge the living and the dead, keep us by your grace.
In spite of the diversion of false prophets, bitten by some religious
millennium bug, let us be good stewards of the gospel of peace and lively
shareholders in the Spirit. Do not allow newly awakened fears and anxieties to
cast out love and trust, nor shrill voices predicting an imminent Second Coming
to distract us from loving our neighbour today. Encourage us to live each day
calmly, hopefully, courageously and creatively, knowing that all things are in
your sure hands. Constantly give us the unflustered sanity of those who know
that they are saved by grace. Then at your coming, whenever it be, we shall be
ready. Through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
CREATURES
OF TIME
O Lord of time and eternity, you makes
us creatures of time that, when time is over, we may attain your blessed
eternity. With time as your gift, give us also wisdom to redeem the time, lest
our day of grace be lost. For our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen!
Christina
Rossetti (1830-1894 AD)
YOUNG AGAIN!
Loving
God, make your world-wide church young again. With adolescent vigour, let us
expect plenty from Christ and expend plenty for Christ.
Do
not permit the memory of the follies of the last century to stifle or distort
our hope for these new times.
Put
paid to our fears and give us far more than we bargained for, so that something
of your kingdom, power and glory may be displayed in us.
Through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
OUR TIMES
Lord
of flowing times and seasons,
of
minutes, centuries and millennia,
a
hundred years in your sight are less
than
the blinking of an eye.
We
realise that our fascination
with
calendars and centuries
displays
our human insecurity
and
brief tenure in this world.
Have
pity on our vulnerability;
humour
and guide us as we begin
to
explore this brand new century
which
to us seems momentous.
Let
it not be a pathetic regurgitation
of
our past follies and failures.
Reinvigorate
the quality of our loving
and
help us keep faith with your Kingdom.
HEROIC
LOVE
O You who are heroic love, keep alive in
our hearts that adventurous spirit which makes your people scorn the way of
safety, so that your will be done. For so only, O Lord, shall we be worthy of
those courageous souls who in every age have ventured all in obedience to your
call, and for whom the trumpets have sounded on the other side; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen!
John Oldham
THE NEXT STEP
As
we step over the ridge of the twentieth century and confront virgin territory,
save us from both the clutch of anxiety and the itch for novelty.
Give
us the faith to explore new possibilities with willing feet and open eyes. Show
us also that your Word has neither grown old nor has your grace become
exhausted. With the wise who have lived before us, and with those who will come
after us, we pray the pilgrim’s prayer:
“Lead
us in the paths of righteousness for your names sake”.
By
your unbound Spirit of Truth,
liberate
us to seize fresh opportunities,
following
the lead of our Saviour, Christ,
the
same yesterday, today and forever!
For
you love’s sake. Amen!
FOLLOWERS
Holy
Spirit, Soul of Love,
unleash
your abundance within me
until
every faculty is transfused
with
your healing immensity,
that I may have the vision
to discern the footprints of Christ
in this twenty first century
and possess the love and courage
to follow wherever he leads me.
To
the praise
of the Name that is timeless
and
to the glory
of the Love that is boundless.
Amen!
PAST AND FUTURE
Divine
Friend, you who never vary in your loving faithfulness,
yet
who never weary of making all things new,
guide
us through these changing times.
Do
not permit our outlook to be either ruled by anxiety or subverted by
sentimental nostalgia.
Neither
allow us to live in the museum of the past
nor
neglect its hard but enlightening lessons.
Neither
let us live in day dreams about the future
nor
neglect its exciting opportunities.
For
your love’s sake. Amen
DRASTIC FAITHFULNESS
God
of faithfulness, by your tireless Spirit infiltrate the days and years of this
young millennium with the vibrant leaven of Christ Jesus. Fulfil in and through
us your promises, that we may draw nearer to that time when the earth shall be
filled with the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Inspire
in us a faith which takes bolder steps than the petty shuffling of mere
credulity. Instil in us the grace to stop short, and to turn back, when that is
the only way by which we may go forward in the Spirit of Christ.
In
your name and for your glory. Amen!
JESUS OUR FUTURE
Lord
Jesus, you come like a genius far ahead of his time.
You
come as a miracle, not breaking the laws of nature
but
fulfilling them.
You
are the future towards which the Spirit draws us,
the
salvation offered to all humanity,
the
joy exceeding all exciting pleasures,
the
destiny which was prepared for us
before
the foundation of the world.
You
come as the humble Perfection outside our grasp
yet
graciously within our reach.
You
are the Beauty that is to come;
the
Beauty that calls us into that most natural
of all
miracles: the ministry of love!
O
God’s unique Genius, we welcome you
as
Saviour, Friend and Lord. Amen!
IN CHANGING TIMES
When
world events seem to spin so fast
that
I am afraid of losing my foothold,
when
the rate of change tosses me about
like
bull dust in a willy-willy,
come to me, O Spirit of quietness,
and gather me up into the great stillness
of your unflappable love, joy and peace.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
A
DIVINE GAMBLE
God, make each moment of our lives a
miracle. God make us laugh at the impossible. God give us hope when all seems
hopeless, peace where no peace could be, love for the unlovable. Make us gamble
on all your Almightiness, and dare everything in your great service. Amen!
M.
E. Procter (20th Century AD.)
GOD OF SPACE SHUTTLES
God
of office towers and space shuttles,
of
peak hour traffic and the Milky Way,
Help
us to seek you.
God
of city hospitals and flying doctors,
of
intensive care and desert sunsets,
Help
us to find you.
God
of noisy airports and outback tracks,
of
control towers and red kangaroos,
Help
us to know you.
God
of pop concerts and country shows,
of
violin concertos and cooing doves,
Help
us to trust you
God
of football crowds and lone yachts,
of
protest marches and moonlit waves,
Help
us to love you.
God
of cathedrals choirs and corroborees,
of
Lifeline counsellors and birdsong at dawn,
Help
us to serve you.
God
of Mary’s son and Peter’s Lord,
of
a bloody cross and an empty tomb,
Help
us to adore you.
NEW DISCOVERIES
We
become caught up, Lord of life, in the media hype
which
follows each discovery or break-through
of
this glittering era.
We
get excited about
the new cures for diseases that have long
afflicted us.
the fresh theories about the origins of
humanity,
the latest surprise from space probes,
the most recent high tech surgery,
new insights into how our brain works,
the latest generation of fruits and
flowers,
the state-of-the-art wizardry from ‘silicon
valley.’
Yet,
a few months further on, we try to remember
what
all the hype was about.
God
of majestic, awesome, unspeakable glory,
do
not allow us to become so jaded by innovation
that
we forget the ever present miracle of your incarnate,
redeeming
love in Christ Jesus who is making all things new.
Amen!
WHERE ARE WE HEADING?
Lord
of history, Lord of our days, discourage us from buying the fashionable myth
that things are getting better and better.
Give
us a view of the future which has nothing to do with the puerile propaganda of
progress. Give us persistent faith in the ongoing redeeming work of Christ
Jesus. Remind us each morning of your ability to bring good out of evil and
rebirth out of death. Let us know and trust the Spirit who neither faints nor
grows weary.
Show
us the next steps we can take. When we stumble, let us not be discouraged as
long as we have stumbled while walking your paths. Through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen!
BLIND FAITH
Spirit
of Christ,
we,
who like to think
we
are reasonable people
of
scientific bent,
thank
you for the gift
of
blind faith.
Where
we can no longer see
but
stand bemused and hope-less,
you
come to our side
and
give us the courage
to
leap
across
a love-gulf so deep
that
is separates
Dives
from Lazarus
and
despair from joy.
Spirit
of Christ,
stand
by us today
that
we may again leap
where
reason fears to tread
and
to love where ego stalls.
LIVE FOR THE MOMENT?
Maker
of time, God of eternity, we cannot take the advice of those twenty first
century gurus who tell us to live only for the moment. Because you have taught
us to look back to a cross and the Person of remarkable grace, the past is not
a dead hand inhibiting us but is a source of freedom and joy. Because you
enable us to look forward to the coming again of the Person of remarkable
grace, the future is neither threat nor chance but promise and opportunity.
Between
the glory that was and the glory that is to come, assist each of us, God of
eternity, to live each day with a free and disciplined love, trusting that
remarkable grace which overflows each moment with a joy far superior to any
treasure we could plan or bargain for.
In
the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen!
RAFTING
Take
us, adventurous Saviour,
from
the polluted backwaters
of
common indifference
to
the fierce, white waters of your love.
Let
us ride the raft of faith
joyfully,
without looking back,
willing
to work as a team
with
those who adventure with us.
Use
what strengths we have
for
the good of all.
Give
us the humility to allow others
to
cover for our weaknesses.
On
currents of turbulent providence
bring
us to the camping place
which
you have in store for us
and
there let us rest in your peace.
For
your love’s sake. Amen!
NEW THINGS
Spirit
of truth, do not let us hide behind locked doors, afraid of every new idea and
prejudiced against all new theories.
Rather
let our minds be constantly tuned with the Gospel of Christ Jesus, and then be
open to explore fresh ideas with sanctified curiosity.
Count
us among those wise and adventurous souls who “bring from their storeroom
things old and things new”. To your endless wonder and worship. Amen!
COMMANDED TO HOPE
In
a world that selfishly lives for the moment, without thought for whatever evil
we may be causing the future, we thank you, God, for commanding us to be people
of hope.
Do
not allow us to be conformed to the present short-sighted, self-serving
attitudes but open our eyes to see all those things that are possible through
Christ Jesus our Saviour.
Give
us a sure commitment to your new heaven and new earth by living some of the
promised future in the here and now:
giving with no thought of reward,
reaching out to the forsaken,
bandaging the wounded,
challenging injustices,
fostering seeds of faith,
caring for mother earth,
exposing pride and greed,
building bridges of understanding,
and loving our neighbours of the future.
Stretch
our vision to include the improbable and strengthen our wills to take the next
step on your road. Assure us again that you can do exceedingly more than we can
ever ask or imagine.
Glory
be to your loving purposes, now and forever! Amen
A
NEW VISION FOR A NEW AGE
O God, our Shepherd, give to the church
a new vision and a new charity, new wisdom and fresh understanding, the revival
of her brightness and the renewal of her unity; that the eternal message of
your Son, undefiled by the traditions of men, may be hailed as the good news of
the new age; through him who makes all things new, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Percy
Dearmer (1867-1936 AD)
THE LASER OF GOD
Christ Jesus,
laser of the living God,
light of this spinning planet;
pierce the clouds of our ignorance,
correct the distortion in our vision,
lance the abscess of our self interest,
cut away the scar tissue of old hurts,
cauterise the weeping sores of our fears,
and give our faith a much needed face-lift.
We place ourselves in your unshakeable hands
for whatever radical treatment you choose.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
You, God, are the light of
the minds that know you, the joy
of the hearts that love
you, and the strength of the wills that
serve you; grant us so to
know you, that we may truly love you,
and so to love you, that we
may fully serve you, whom to serve
is perfect freedom, in
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
St Augustine of Hippo
(354-430 AD)
UNREAL MAN, UNREAL!
Plain-speaking Christ, teller of Truth, Friend of the pure in heart, we confess that we exchange reality for the glossy unreal!
Through the tricks of the film maker, the intermingling of fact and fantasy, the juxtaposition of cartoon and living actor, we lose ourselves in illusions.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Through the pernicious deceits of the advertising industry, making us puppets of fashion in food, clothing, motor cars and entertainment.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Through the subversion of human dignity by which children become ‘the market’, voters are numbers, and sexual promiscuity is called ‘making love’.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Through the technology of modern warfare where fellow human beings become mere target positions on video screens.
Lord have mercy....Christ have mercy.
Through the marketing of religion as consumer goods, where the clients become the centre and worship is tailored to fit our current wants; where wonder, awe, honest doubt, cost and discipline are sacrificed to accessible triviality.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
TOO MUCH AND TOO LITTLE
Divine Friend, have mercy on your children who suffer both from too much and too little.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.
We are the unbalanced people, the creatures whose riches are their pathetic poverty:
we crowd our homes with possessions but we are tragically short on love;
we gaze transfixed at electronic images yet rarely look into human eyes;
we spawn regulations and laws yet we discount individual integrity;
we stagger under a load of information but lack common sense;
we have plenty of preachers but not enough humble practitioners;
we organise armies of advisers yet there is a drastic shortage wisdom;
we rush around like tourists but neglect to take time to become pilgrims;
we have swapped the peace of One God for a legion of bedevilled voices.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.
O Son of Mary, you practised what
you preached, you loved far past the limits of your understanding, you embodied
the God in whom you trusted. Christ Jesus, please dare to be embodied in us.
Take charge of our cluttered yet empty lives and bring us back to the divine
simplicities of faith, hope and love. In your name we pray. Amen
WHAT WE REALLY NEED
God of Christ Jesus and our God, how profoundly we need you! We need you in our weaknesses, we need you when we think we are strong.
We need
to return from our wanderings to your eternal at-home-ness;
to relax our tense self-importance in your huge humility;
to review our cleverness in the light of your wisdom;
to repair our brokenness in your perfect wholeness;
to rest our pettiness in the wonder of your immensity;
to restore our tired love in your inexhaustible grace.
God of Christ Jesus, we need you far more than we can ever estimate. Gather us up in your warmth and answer the prayers of both our recognised and unrecognised needs.
For your love’s sake. Amen.
MAKE
ME
Lord, make me like a
crystal, that your light may shine through me. Amen!
Katherine Mansfield
(1888-1923 AD)
THE VIRUS IN OUR SYSTEMS
Our God, you who wear our bruises and carry our sins, we find it difficult not to be discouraged by the virus of evil which seems to be out of control, affecting all our systems. Each exciting advance which humanity makes soon becomes corrupted. Our best technology, our new political parties, or our bold surges in spirituality, are infected by ancient strains of evil in modern forms.
To struggle against it, dear God, and to maintain our integrity and enthusiasm, seems a tall order. Sometimes we feel close to the ancient cry of frustration: “Futility of futilities! All is futility!” *
Come to our aid, Saviour of old! Come and help us, Saviour of the future! Bring us again to the mighty, inverse power of your Cross. Show us once more the tomb which cannot keep you in, and the locked room which cannot keep you out. Impel us with the love which comes like a rushing wind and tongues of fire.
O Source and Goal of a new age yet to be fulfilled, teach us to trust you far more than we fear evil. Inspire us to live faithfully, freely, and joyfully, believing that nothing done in your name can ever be futile!
We ask this in the Name which is far above all other names. Amen!
* Ecclesiastes 1: 2
SPACE SHIP EARTH
Watch over us, eternal God, as we hurtle through space on the way to things the mind has not yet dreamed of.
Help us to deal kindly with one another in this confined space, to be patient with each other’s frailties, to forgive those who sin against us, to treasure our neighbours’ abilities, and to rejoice in each other’s achievements.
Teach us to share the provisions fairly, to bear the work-load evenly, and to deal justly with the most lowly-ranked among us as we would with the Captain. Let us encourage each other to take time to watch the stars, marvel at the work of your fingers, and to worship without pretence.
Then Lord, as this spaceship Earth continues on its long voyage, may we be ready to inherit the world that is to come. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
SEARCHER
OF HEARTS
O Searcher of hearts, you
know us better than we know ourselves. You see the sins which our very
sinfulness hides from our eyes. Lift us up from where we have fallen. Keep us
from sin in all we do today. Fill us with a holy simplicity, content to seek
and do your will. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
J.Martineau
(1805-1900 AD)
COCKROACHES
God of Jesus Christ, we dare to be honest with you as we dare not be with anyone else, not even our dearest friends. It is a relief to confess the ugly side of our natures. Beneath the veneer of our modern sophistication, under the thin veil of our tenuous faith and goodness, there lurk repulsive thoughts, feelings and motives; the cockroaches of the soul that hide in the murky crevices of our minds.
We do not want them, but they are in us, Lord. Occasionally we come face to face with the brazen ones, like racism or greed, and we are appalled by the perverse allure of evil. More often we only see them in our peripheral vision, as they scuttle for their hiding places, not wanting to be identified.
Merciful God, we fear this subterranean part of our nature, the realm where the prince of darkness has access. We recognise that there is only a thin line between our sophistication and all the cruel and disgusting evils of the world.
O Saviour God, we beg you to save us from both from the evil without and the potential evil within us. Keep us honest with ourselves. Keep us alert to what is happening within us, that we may not blind ourselves with pious pretensions and fall victim to the evils of which we are all capable.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ make us more than conquerors, through him who loves us. Amen!
MINOR MIRACLE WORKERS?
Have pity, loving God, on a race which achieves minor miracles yet progresses very little.
We can restore sight, move mountains, fly through space, yet we have not learned how to share our daily bread.
We make deserts blossom as the rose and implant new valves in hearts, yet we cannot live together in peace.
We can speak to each other across vast distances and sometimes even wake the dead, but we do not love one another.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Rescue us from the enigma of our
own being. Heal our divided nature. Give us the desire and the will to be
saved. Help us to reach towards that pure wholeness and joy which you have
prepared for those who love you. For your love’s sake. Amen!
HARD HEADED MERCY
O Saviour Christ, come amongst us with your hard-headed mercy and startling paradoxes. Shatter our illusions before they become our damnation. Call us back to the worship of one God. Energise us and align us with the Spirit of Truth. Fill us with that costly grace which shows its true colours on your awful yet wonderful Cross.
FOR DELIVERANCE
O God, Source of rescue and healing, deliver us.
From the tyrannies of entertainment
and the glamour of electronic gambling;
from the novelty of internet religions
and the cosiness of TV Christianity;
God of salvation, deliver us.
From the myopia of the mass media
and the diet of despair;
from the possessiveness of possessions
and the lure of the latest sales;
God of salvation, deliver us.
From scientific dogmatism
and fashionable medicine;
from the creeds of economists
and the litanies of politicians;
God of salvation, deliver us.
From all that diverts our faith
and all that dilutes our love;
from a repetition of past sins
to the new life in Christ Jesus;
God of salvation, deliver us. Amen!
FROM THE SHADOWLAND
On the slag heap
of accumulated defeats;
plodding days
of grey despondency;
inhaling the smog
of stale apathy;
Come Spirit of the Lord,
come and rescue us
from the shadowland.
Come Spirit of Truth
with your tough grace,
your resolute love.
Come Spirit of Christ
and bring us out again
to the land of laughter.
FROM LESS-THAN-REAL
Saviour-Friend, we are weary of virtual reality! Illusions have taken over our leisure, stifled our imagination, blinded us to the needs of others, tutored us to be artificial in intimate relationships, and left us with scant time for wonder and worship.
Come to our aid, Saviour-Friend. Redeem us from bondage to illusions. Save us from everything that is less that real. Deliver us into the naked truth of your Spirit.
Restore in us the aspirations and hungers for which we were created. Let us reclaim the unique reality of our own soul and relate without pretence to the reality of others.
Heal our scarred imagination so that our young people may see visions of heaven on earth and our old folk dream of a world full-filled with the Gospel. To your endless joy and glory; Amen!
A RANSOM NOTE
We plead, loving God, to be ransomed from the counterfeit glory of this self-serving world and placed in the care of your only beloved Son.
From words that babble and confuse, flatter and deceive,
to the Word that is life and health;
Ransom us, God of grace and glory.
From lights that strobe and entice, dazzle and blind,
to the Light that searches for the lost;
Ransom us, God of grace and glory.
From half-truths that shout and dogmatise, bully and enslave,
to the Truth that is pure liberty;
Ransom us God of grace and glory.
From joys that indulge and tire, distract and cloy,
to the Joy that uplifts and ennobles;
Ransom us, God of grace and
glory.
From friends that can be won or lost, true or false,
to the Friend of unconditional faithfulness;
Ransom us, God of grace and glory
In the company of our Saviour, may we learn that lifestyle which is daily abundant and eternally refulgent with love and praise. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
THOSE
MURKY CORNERS
God, penetrate those murky
corners where we hide memories, and tendencies on which we do not care to look, but which we will not yield
freely to you, that you might purify and transmute them. The persistent buried
grudge, the half-acknowledged enmity which is still smouldering; the bitterness
of that loss we have not turned into sacrifice, the private comfort we cling
to, the secret fear of failure which saps our initiative and is really inverted
pride; the pessimism which is an insult to your joy. Lord, we bring all these
to you, and we review them with shame and penitence in your steadfast light.
Through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen!
Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941 AD)
HALLUCINATIONS
God of tenacious love, rescue us from the herd mentality of this arrogant century. Save us from all that mesmerises and deludes us.
We confess that we too easily become caught up in the mass hallucinations in which the population live and move and have their being:
we join in the anxious search for money and possessions,
we enmesh ourselves in the selfishness which exploits the weak,
we blindly dance to the beat and tune of political parties,
we pay lip service to the Spirit yet live by the agnosticism of the mob,
apart from a few religious habits, there is little
to mark us out from the scurrying crowd.
God of tenacious love, break through the walls of our false perceptions. Shatter our delusions. Send in your Christ to overthrow the tables, scatter our money love and drive out the animals from the temple of the human soul. Confront us with the fearful beauty of your pure love. Cleanse us without restraint and open us to the winds of heaven. Being owned by you may we own ourselves with the joyful liberty of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen!
WHEN
WE ARE EMPTY
Look, Lord, here is an
empty mug that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it. I am frail in the faith;
strengthen me. I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may
reach out to my neighbour. I do not have a strong and stable faith; at times I
doubt and am unable to trust you completely. O Lord, help me. Strengthen my faith
and trust in you. Amen!
Martin Luther (1483-1536 AD)
FROM EGO-LONELINESS
We confess, merciful Friend, that many of us have become lonely islands. Too often, we have worshipped at the altar of individualism and have forfeited the precious gift of com-unity. We plant our self-interest in friendship or marriage, religion or politics, employment or leisure, and end up reaping distrust and division.
Saving God, rescue us from our isolation. Awaken in us the passion for sharing and caring. Inspire us with the love which breaks out of the narrow lanes of individualism into your thoroughfare, where we can respect, treasure, serve and enhance other lives.
Return us to that state of grace where we discern the face of Christ in husband or wife, child or parent, friend or opponent, employee or employer, neighbour or enemy. Help us to cherish community and to tap that power and glory which is wonderfully revealed on a cross.
For your love’s sake. Amen!
ASTRONOMICAL
God of immensities, while astronomers at Parkes or Siding Springs
probe more of the mind-blowing majesty of outer space,
save us from writing ourselves off as trivial specks
inhabiting one unimportant little planet.
Remind us that by your grace it is we who are doing the probing.
You have chosen us to be creatures of intellect and curiosity.
Through vast stretches of time you have nurtured us,
and called us to a special place in this universe,
giving us a spirit which reflects your own.
To complete our high calling and redeem us from outer darkness,
you have shared our earthy humanity in Jesus the Christ,
taught us that the hairs on our heads are numbered,
and shown us that not even suffering or death
can cut us off from your love.
O God of mighty wonders, intimate details, and eternal purposes,
encourage us forward into new discoveries and opportunities.
Enable us to humbly wear your gift of high significance,
and to treasure the Amazing Grace which names us
children of God and joint heirs with Christ.
In his name we pray. Amen!
VIRTUAL REALITY
For the gifts of virtual reality,
we give you thanks, Lord of all life:
For the opportunity to hone skills
and probe new possibilities,
to discover our own strengths
and realise our weaknesses;
when we are wearied by work
to be entertained and relaxed,
when we become judgemental
to put ourselves in another’s shoes.
Yet we also pray for deliverance
from the snares of virtual reality:
From the seductions of fiction
that edge out the disciplines of faith,
from being immersed in phantasies
while ignoring our own household,
from a passion for colourful images
yet apathy towards our neighbours,
from living in the fantasy of others
while denying the visions of the Spirit.
Keep us in touch with your Reality, God;
save us and enhance us by your Gospel:
Knit us to your really Real Christ,
that putting first things first
we may seek your unique kingdom
and its loving righteousness
and enter into that unanxious joy
which has been prepared for us
by the Source of all wonder and light
since the foundation of the world.
Amen!
HEALTHY DESIRE
Is it you, Lord,
or the absence of you,
that gnaws at my being
with unutterable longing?
I know you well
yet just as surely
in this dyslectic world
I know you hardly at all.
You have saved me
from doubt and death
but with yearning heart
I long to be fully saved.
Your peace has knitted
my unravelled soul,
yet there is holy discontent.
instead of tranquillity
My restlessness has found
an ultimate rest in you,
but now no worldly pillow
gives rest to my head.
Am I to be, Lord God,
a perpetual wanderer
like some castaway
from
a distant star?
WHEN WE SERVE IDOLS
God of Mount Sinai and Moses, the fierce enemy of the *graven images which fascinate and corrupt humanity, have mercy on us.
Ours is the golden age of images. We spend our days among an endless electronic supply which we pretend are there to serve us; but in truth we more often serve them with a devotion far exceeding that which we offer you. We have bowed down to our idols, gloried in their artificial worlds, communicated with them far more than we have with our fellows, even neglecting the members of our own households.
We reap the bitter harvest of our idolatry: dysfunctional families, separations, divorce, youth suicides, soulless sex, drugs, and a restless search for some new image that might fill the void at the core of our being.
O God! Before it is too late, put paid to our idols. Shatter our addiction to video screens, key boards, icons and exotic software. Grind the golden calf of our electronic illusions into an unpalatable dust. Confront us with the glory of your righteous love and awaken in us that first awe and delight which is the indigenous worship of our spirits.
Call us back to “True-God of True-God” and the knowledge that “you have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they have found their rest in you”.
For through Christ Jesus, yours is the kingdom of the hearts desire, the power made perfect in human weakness, and the glory which begins now and stretches into the infinitude of forever! Amen! (See Exodus 32)
COSMIC PRAISE
Lord
of all the children of the stars,
in whatever form you have shaped them,
by whatever name they serve you,
help
us on this planet earth, our home,
to keep our minds and hearts attuned
to every pulse of your cosmic Spirit.
Focus
our lives on your special visitation
in our Saviour Christ, from whom
nothing in heaven or earth can separate us.
Join
our service and our worship
to all the praise that this moment rises
from loving spirits throughout creation.
For
yours is the kingdom
the
power and the glory
forever
and everywhere. Amen.
NEW FRONTIERS
We
thank you, God of endless challenges, for those thinkers and explorers who are
extending the frontiers of human knowledge.
Biologists,
searching genetic codes for ways to eradicate some of our hereditary ills.
Space
scientists and astronauts, taking the first, primitive steps towards finding new worlds.
Theologians,
living on the new borders with the Holy Scriptures in their open hands.
Ecumenical
diplomats, willingly spending themselves in the quest for justice and peace.
Medical
researchers, discovering new methods of treatment for human suffering.
Ethical
philosophers, wrestling with moral dilemmas which have never before been faced.
Computer
scientists, striving to harness artificial intelligence for the good of all humanity.
Preachers,
daring to stand on the new territories in the light of the Gospel of Christ.
Agricultural
scientists, endeavouring to increase our ability to feed the underfed millions.
Artists,
poets, musicians, exploring the heights and depths of our contemporary experience.
God
of truth and grace, for these brave souls we thank you. May they have the
wisdom and the humility to ‘seek first your kingdom and its right-living’ and
so discover the blessings of the children of God.
Through
Jesus Christ our Brother and Lord. Amen!
O BEAUTY!
O
Loveliness! O Beauty excelling beauty!
Because
you have touched me,
freely and unconditionally,
I
have sought more of your wonder
in the colours of this world.
In
the melodies and harmonies
of music I listen for you.
With
the poor, the meek and the beggar
with no name, I reach for you.
By
outback mountains and rainforest
streams I wait for you.
Through
the world’s great galleries
of art I look for you.
In
the latest scientific discovery
or theory I expect you,
With
every new technological
surprise I search for you.
Among
erudite theologies and poetic
images I hunger for you.
In
the disciplines of meditation
and prayer I wait for you.
But
never have I held you
except in those awe-moments
when
you have found and held me
with the unspeakable grace of Christ.
O
Loveliness! O Beauty excelling beauty!
THANKS FOR DEPRIVATIONS
Lord, I
thank you that in your love you have taken away from me all earthly wealth, and
that you now clothe and feed me through the kindness of others. Lord, I thank
you that since you have taken away the sight of my eyes, you serve me now
through the eyes of others. Lord, I thank you that since you have taken away
the strength of my hands and my heart, you minister to me by the hands and
hearts of others. Lord, I pray for them. Reward them for it in your heavenly
love, that they may faithfully serve and please you till they reach a happy
end. Amen!
Mechtild of Magdeburg (1210-1297 AD)
CITIES
Source
of life and love, help us to see that cities are as much a part of nature as
termite mounds, flocks of corellas and a hives of wild bees.
Free
us to exult in the good facets of city life as much as we applaud the virtues
of country living. And give us the will and wisdom to improve the quality of
both. To fulfil your purposes and glorify your name. Amen!
GOD OF MERRIMENT
God
of merriment, for whom the morning stars sing together and all the children of
God shout for joy, help us keep our sense of humour.
When
those around us get hyped-up about the latest scientific discovery or
technological wizardry, help us to see the comical side of human self
importance. When we take ourselves too seriously, as if the church were built
on our devout efforts, enable us to chuckle at our folly. When evil parades
itself in finery and thinks it owns the world, or when untimely death appears
to cut off saints in their prime, fill us with the robust joy of Easter.
God
of ‘solid joys and lasting pleasures’, because of all your victories in Christ
Jesus, liberate us to share in the song of the morning stars and the joyful
shouts of the children of God. Today and forever more. Amen!
HOLIDAY
Instead
of the roar of motor cars,
the rhythmic pulse of the sea.
Instead
of the radio’s traffic report,
the calls of honey eaters and seagulls.
Instead
of a snatched breakfast,
leisurely coffee and rolls in the sunshine.
Instead
the prospect of another day
focussed on computer screens,
the
anticipation of walks along the beach
and plunging in the surf.
Instead
of prayer on the run,
a day relaxed with gratitude and praise.
Most
loving God, we thank you
for
the gifts of holy-days by the sea
and
the renovation of that comes
from
close contact with your creation.
Through
the name of Christ Jesus,
the
joy of loving hearts. Amen!
DELIGHT
Like
a song bird
basking
in Spring sunshine
or
an excited child
dancing
in the ocean,
help
each of us,
O
Joy of loving hearts,
to
bask with uninhibited ease
in
the utter luxury
of
your overflowing grace
given
to us
in
Christ Jesus.
THINGS FIXED AND FAMILIAR
Lord
of all being, Friend of the earth, help us to keep our balance in the rush of
life. As dazzling changes rush at us like space ships out of the future, we
thank you for things that remain fixed and familiar.
We
rejoice , loving God,
in the monolith of Uluru
which lies unperturbed at the red centre of our continent;
in the merriment of kookaburras among the
red gums by the Murray River;
in the untiring rhythm of the surf at Bells
Beach, Margaret River or Bondi;
in the fish of the Barrier Reef that
neither toil nor spin yet are beautifully attired.
We
rejoice, loving God,
in the delight of parents watching their
child attempt its first, faltering steps;
in the tantalising aroma of a favourite
meal being cooked in the kitchen;
in the skill of a potter throwing and
moulding common clay on the wheel;
in all the hope that is present in marriage
vows and the joy of a wedding feast.
We
rejoice, loving God,
in people of courageous faith who tackle
the mountains of social injustice;
in the yeast-like Word of the Gospel and
the songs of the people of God;
in the Presence which comes like the wind
and inspires like tongues of fire;
in the bread and wine on a common table and
the love of a most gracious Host.
Lord
of all being, Friend of the earth, we praise you for things fixed, familiar and
faithful. Through Jesus Christ, the same today, yesterday and forever. Amen!
AUSSIE THINGS
To
Vegemite and fair dinkum mates,
long
weekends and Aussie Rules:
Add
the bonus of your Holy Spirit,
God
of our salvation.
To
gum trees and barbecues,
meat
pies and flocks of galahs;
to
Kakadu and the Melbourne Cup,
the
Opera House and bush tucker:
Add
the bonus of your Holy Spirit,
God
of our salvation
To
Trades Hall and a fair go,
to
W.A. wildflowers and Sydney ferries;
country
shows and Melbourne trams;
to
jackaroos and wild brumbies:
Add
the bonus of your Holy Spirit,
God
of our salvation.
To
cattle stations and life savers,
Anzac
Day and campfire damper:
Add
the bonus of your Holy Spirit,
God
of our salvation.
CELEBRATION
Hallelujah!
Joyfully
praise God, everywhere and everything!
Let praise fill the whole cosmos!
Praise God, all races and nations on
earth.
Praise
God, all children of the distant stars.
Praise
God, sun, moon and the planets.
Give praise, suns, solar winds and comets.
Praise God, super-novas and spiral
nebulae.
Give
praise, black holes and cosmic mysteries.
Praise
God, dingo, platypus and wallaroo.
Give praise, lyrebird, magpie and cockatoo.
Praise God, Huon pine, silky oak and
tree fern.
Give
praise, Spinifex, mulga and ghost gum.
Praise
God, jumbo jet and space shuttle.
Give praise, pilot, navigator and
astronaut.
Praise God, baker, farmer and
supermarket.
Give
praise, hospital, bush nurse and flying doctor.
Praise
God, all microscopic wonders.
Give praise, cells, chromosomes and genes.
Praise God, atoms, electrons and quarks.
Give
praise, microchips and microsurgery
Praise
God, Chief Justice, Koori Elder, and Prime Minister.
Give praise, painter, musician and
comedian.
Praise God, chapel, church and
cathedral.
Give
praise, archbishop, priest and pastor.
Let
everything praise the goodness of the Creator,
for God alone can be utterly trusted.
God, our God, is worthy of love and
adoration.
Give
praise, everything and everywhere!
Hallelujah!
*
In the vein of Psalm 148
A
FAMILY IN ONE
You God,
are father and mother to me, a brother, a sister, a friend. You manage my house
for me. You are all that is, and all that is resides in you. We praise you and
thank you, we give you glory, human though we are and weak. You alone are God
for all eternity! Amen!
Acts of Peter (180-190
AD)
WHO ARE WE?
God
our God,
what
are mere humans
that you think of us,
and
the children of earth’s dust
that you visit us?
In
the light of wheeling galaxies
we see the work of your little finger.
In
the faith-journey of Abraham and Sarah
we hear a whisper of your ways.
In
the prodigious energy of the atom
we gain a glimpse of your power.
In
the outcry of the your prophets
we hear a hint of your justice.
In
a rejected and crucified Jew
we see the glory of your grace.
On
an evening walk to Emmaus
we meet the love that never ends.
God
our God,
what
are mere humans
that you think of us,
the
children of earth’s dust
that you visit us?
LAUGHTER
Lord
of laughter, open our eyes to see through the
absurdities
of this brazen century and to confront
them
with good humour rather than faithless despair.
Help
us to smile while the wealthy worry or the
politicians
strut and dissemble.
Give
us the grace to chuckle at technological vain-glory
or
the self-praise of the entertainment industry.
When
ignorance poses as dogmatic, scientific wisdom,
or
the devil’s slaves pretend to be angels of light,
enable
us to laugh heartily with the faith and daring
that
is born of your Easter victory.
Lord
of laughter, when we take ourselves too seriously,
laugh
at us until we come to our senses.
For
your love’s sake; Amen!
MICRO GRACES
We
thank you, loving God, for the effective power of micro graces which are
continually at work beneath the macro ostentation of the proud and powerful. We
give you thanks that, like yeast and mustard seed, the gifts of faith, hope and
love go about their business, quietly achieving contemporary miracles.
We
rejoice that our lives are in the hands of a Saviour who notices the fall of a
sparrow, numbers the hairs on our heads and calls each of us by name.
Thanks
and praise, glory and honour,
be
to you today and forever! Amen
STILL YOU COME
Lord
of Love, we praise your coming.
Still
you come, irrepressible Christ, to help us discover the Word of truth hidden
beneath electronic newspapers and synthetic voices, beyond psychedelic lights
and soaring rockets. Still you come to us, not as a ghost from the past but as
the Spirit of the future, offering us more than we can ask or as yet receive.
We
praise your coming, Lord Jesus, and we seek to follow you today better than we
did yesterday. To the glory of God and the enrichment of the earth. Amen!
THE BEST OF JOYS
You
remain, Loving Christ, the joy of our best desiring. You, and you alone, are
our light and salvation in a world gone mad on worshipping its own contemporary
cleverness, or lapsing into old, recycled religious half-truths and
superstitions.
Sure,
there were saints and prophets before you, as there are dreams preceding
daybreak. Certainly there have been wise ones who came after you as the moon
follows the sun. You alone are the crux of our believing, the ferment in our
hoping, the inexhaustible grace of our loving.
You
were, are and will be. Allow us to stay beside you, within you and always for
you, for ever and ever! Amen!
CHRIST TODAY
Christ be
with me, Christ before me,
Christ be
after me, Christ within me,
Christ
beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at
my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in
the home, Christ on the road,
Christ in
the heart of everyone who thinks of me.
Christ in
the mouth of everyone who speaks with me.
Christ in
every eye that sees me.
Christ in
every ear that listens to me.
St. Patrick (385-461 AD
SAVE US FROM EXPERTS
Strong
Saviour Christ, please continue to save us from the materialistic
experts
of this generation.
From experts who approach every question
with an open mouth,
deliver us.
From those who publish theories as if they
were immutable laws,
deliver us.
From those who treat market forces as if
they were benign agents of social well being, deliver us.
From experts who preach personal greed as a
cardinal community virtue, deliver us.
From those who push aside ethical questions
with a wave of the latest consumer research, deliver us.
From experts who leave no space for
humility, doubts, self-sacrifice and saving grace, deliver us.
Let
your words reclaim our attention and allegiance. Remind us that
those who selfishly grab at life will lose
it,
we cannot serve both God and money,
the last shall be first and the first last.
O
Strong Saviour, confront and discomfort your people. Work relentlessly in us
lest we lose touch with the very Gospel which we have saluted with our creeds,
praised with our hymns and preached from our pulpits.
For
your love’s sake. Amen!
COSMIC CHRIST
Cosmic
Christ, Word of God, in how many forms have you been born on far away planets?
How many times have you come to your own creatures but your own received you
not?
How
many remarkable parables have you told, how many eyes have you opened, how many
feet have you washed? How often have you been betrayed and denied, abused and
butchered? How many Easters have changed despair to joy and how often have you
breathed the Holy Spirit into mortal minds?
O
Saviour Christ, Word of God, let transcosmic choirs
sing their gratitude and praise! Let a multitude of loving beings, with angels
and archangels, serve you unceasingly from every corner of space and time!
Holy,
holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts! All things are filled with your glory!
Hosanna in the highest! Amen!
TOUCH OUR EYES
What
a strange mixture we are, most patient God. Insatiable in our searching, bold
with our theories, surrounded with electronic enchantments, yet creatures of
boundless blindness when it comes to the things that ultimately matter.
Send
to us that Holy Man who made a salve from clay and touched the eyes of the
blind. May he touch us and restore to us a sane view of life. Let us see
ourselves as beings made for worship, fellowship, justice and love. Enable us
to treasure our friends and pray for our enemies, serve our neighbours and seek
first the kingdom of God and its righteousness.
Touch
our eyes that we may become what we really are. Through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen!
CHRIST IN THE THIRD MILLENNIUM
We
delight, most loving God, in the continuing influence of Christ Jesus in this
third millennium:
Wonderful
is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, who has blessed us with every
spiritual blessing in Christ.
In
every stimulating advance we make, he is there, well ahead of us, asking us to
go on in faith.
What
eye has not seen, or the ear heard, or the mind conceived,
God
has in store for those who love him.
Where
we take a wrong turn and end up in a maze of contemporary doubts and anxieties,
Christ is there to lead us through.
You
have not chosen me. I have chosen you. By grace you are saved, through faith; not by your efforts but as a
gift of God.
If
we become disheartened by the ability of evil to adopt new forms and corrupt
new achievements, he speaks with us.
I
will not leave you all alone; I will come to you. Cheer up, for I have overcome the evil of this world.
When
we are disgusted with our own folly and sin, in the name of God Christ forgives
us and lifts us up.
I did
not come to condemn but to save. Daughter, son, yours sins are forgiven you. Go in peace.
Whenever
we are confused by the tough ethical decisions to be made by a citizen of this
twenty first century, Christ is with us.
Seek
first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all that you need will be
given to you. Love one another as I have loved you.
We
delight, most loving God, in all that Christ once was, is now, and ever shall
be.
Neither
life nor death, things present nor things to come, will be able to separate us from the love of God
in Christ Jesus our Lord
(This
may be followed by a sung doxology.)
O MY JESUS!
O
my Christ Jesus!
without
you and your gift
of
faith in the living God,
my
life would be nothing
but
a dogged decency
lived
with many difficulties
among
burgeoning technology
and
sustained by an angry defiance
flung
against the deep darkness
of
monstrous despair.
O
my Christ Jesus,
thank
you for being you
and
thoroughly saving me
from
darkness and dread.
Amen!
TAKE JOY
Take
joy, lovely Lord,
in
all who ask, seek,
knock,
find and enter
into
your new world.
Take
joy, lovely Lord,
wherever
two or three
are
gathered together
in
your name.
Take
joy, lovely Lord,
when
your followers
seek
not to be served
but
to serve.
Take
joy, lovely Lord,
when
enemies are loved,
the
persecuted prayed for
and
wrongs forgiven.
Take
joy, lovely Lord,
wherever
great love
proves
that many sins
are
indeed forgiven.
Take
joy, lovely Lord,
with
those who are taught
by
the birds of the bush
and
the wild flowers.
Take
joy, lovely Lord,
in
the unpretentious folk
who
give parties for the poor,
crippled,
lame and blind.
Take
joy, lovely Lord,
with
those who find joy
in
one lost sinner
who
turns to God.
Take
joy, lovely Lord,
wherever
eyes are opened
in
the breaking of bread
with
a Stranger.
Take
joy, lovely Lord,
in
all who are immersed
in
your remarkable news
and
soaked in love.
HEALER
Healer
of
ragged hopes
and
tattered ideals;
Nurse
of
faint faith
and
fractured creeds;
Physician
of
listless lives
and
limping love;
At
evening,
before
the sun is set,
lay
your hands on us.
I BELIEVE
Jesus
Christ, brother of Light,
I
believe.
I
believe
that
in the beginning was the Promise
and
the Promise was with God
and
the Promise was God.
I
believe
in
the infinite, nurturing creativity of God,
in
the incarnate, crucified humility of God,
in
the intimate, inspiring liberality of God.
Jesus
Christ, brother of Light,
I
believe
CUT AND POLISH
Our
loving God, your generous Light is here by day, constantly filling all things.
Yet most of the people around us do not seem to notice you. They live as if
their days are spent in a darkness from which they must snatch fleeting moments
of happiness. In their desperation for brief pleasures, they trample over one
another, without caring for the weak or the maimed.
Saviour-God,
cut and polish the worship and service of your church until it acts like a
prism for your Light. Through our words and deeds, make the invisible become
visible. Display the rainbow wonder of your Presence that the lost and the
desperate may perceive your beauty and trust the Light in which they live and
move and have their being.
God
of God, Light of Light, make us a prism for your glory. Through Jesus Christ,
our Brother and Saviour. Amen!
SOURCE OF GLORY
Jesus,
joy of the heart’s desiring,
work your transforming skills
in and through us.
Make
us humble without realising it,
wise without showing it,
loving without calculating it
and good without knowing it;
that
your grace may speak
through us but not of us
and
others come to seek
the Source of the glory
which they have fleetingly
glimpsed in our common being.
For
your name’s sake. Amen!
TO THE GOD WE FEAR
Eternal
God, we fear you yet we adore you!
We
fear a Love so daring and puzzling that you permit evil and suffering to abound
in your universe.
We
adore a Love so determined and costly that you bore in a human body the full
agony of this world.
With
Job we shout out our protest! With John we say there is no greater Love than
this!
Eternal
God, the ever-present Victim and Victor, take both our fear and our faith and
let them serve you today and declare your glory forever! Through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen
THE SAVING LOVE
Lord
Jesus, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross, that
all people might come within the reach of your saving embrace. Clothe us in
your Spirit, that we, stretching out our hands in loving service for others,
may bring those who do not know you to an awareness and love of you; who with
the Father and the Holy Spirit live and reign , One God forever! Amen!
C.H.Brent
(1862-1929 AD)
HEALER OF HURTS
Come
to us, Healer of hurts.
Touch
us with your fingers and we shall be saved.
Come
to broken hearts and grieving spirits,
to
wild anxieties and lost sanity.
Mend
us and we shall be whole.
Come
to rocky marriages and sore divorces,
to
sleepless nights and lost self-confidence.
Mend
us and we shall be whole.
Come
to dying dreams and painful memories,
to
betrayed values and lost opportunities.
Mend
us and we shall be whole.
Come
to weary wills and dried-up love,
to
abandoned hopes and lost faith.
Mend
us and we shall be whole.
Healer
of hurts, Lord of perfect wholeness,
Come
to us with your holiness;
Let
our ordered lives confess
the
beauty of your peace.
Amen!
Amen!
WHAT OF THE CHURCH?
God
of each unexpected break-through, of quantum surprises and faithful revisitings, where does the church fit into your plans?
We
cannot see where you are taking us nor what the shape of the church will be.
Things which we have treasured appear to be dying, while trends that make us
anxious seem to be now emerging. At times we experience loss, grief and anger,
yet on other occasions we feel excitement and hope.
Remind
us of the paradox of your strength in Christ Jesus: that people who hoard their
life will lose it, yet those who lose it for the gospel’s sake will find it.
Replace
our much worrying with a firmer faith, and give us that type of wisdom which
knows the right time in which to bring out from the storehouse of the church’s
story things that are old, or things that are brand new.
Let
us journey boldly where the timid dare not tread. Let us meet gladly at that
table where generations have been fed.
For
the sake of your new world and the glory that was, is now, and is to come. In
Christ‘s name, Amen!
THE CHURCH AND CHANGE
Most
patient and loving God, we confess that your church is not good at coping with
change.
We
anxiously cling to large buildings until the last few survivors are too weary
to carry on. We are bewildered by free-lance Christians who do not have our
dogged loyalty to a denomination. We take offence at those whom we fear are
shifting the ethical goal posts. We complain about changes in church music or
liturgy and grumble at innovations in church organisation or outreach.
Defend
us, merciful God, against bouts of nostalgic pig-headedness. We are in danger
of looking for you in the past, but missing your vibrant Spirit in the present
and the future. Come to our aid, we pray.
Give
your church in these changing times the liberty
to treasure its heritage without
sentimentalising it,
to seize contemporary opportunity without
idolising it;
to plan for the future without glamorising
it.
By
your Christ free us, with your Spirit lead us, in your eternal love keep us,
until the church becomes more yours than ours, a body fit to declare your
glory. Through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen!
NEW SONGS
Sing
songs of a new age to God,
sing praises when you gather together!
Let
the church celebrate its Creator,
let the body rejoice in its Head!
Make
music with guitar and keyboard,
tap your feet in the rhythm of praise!
For
God delights in today’s faithful,
decorating you with grace upon grace.
Get
high on the joy of gratitude,
sing from church pew or armchair at home!
Let
praises fill up your throats!
Let the Word be a laser in your hands
to
bring judgement on nations
and justice to all races,
to
put dictators under arrest
and bring war criminals to court.
To
let the Word do the judging,
this is glory to believers!
*In the vein of Psalm 149
A LITANY FOR THE TIMES
Leader:
Lord of millennia, Redeemer of each moment, Head of the church, we thank you
that there are appropriate seasons and opportune times for everything under the
sun.
People: In whatever we do, let it be
done with thanks, in the name of our Lord Jesus.
Leader:
There is a time for birth, and a time for death;
a time for sowing, a time for reaping;
a time to prune back the old, a time to graft in the new;
a time to demolish, and a time to rebuild.
People: Let the peace of Christ rule in
our hearts, in whom we are called to be one body.
Leader:
A time to repent, a time to celebrate;
a time to mourn, a time to dance;
a time to throw away, a time to collect;
a time to hug, a time to stand alone.
People: Let the word of Christ live
richly in us, that we may sing psalms, hymns and gospel songs in thanksgiving.
Leader:
A time to search, a time to lose oneself;
a time to hold tight, a time to throw away;
a time to tear apart, a time to stitch up;
a time to be quiet, a time to speak out.
People: Above all else, let us be
clothed with love blends everything together incomplete harmony, to the glory
of God. Amen!
* inspired by
Ecclesiastes 3:1-7 and Colossians 3:12-17
AN ODD MOB
Loving
God, we are an odd mob. We thank You for the widely different types of people,
and expressions of faith, which constitute the membership of your Church in
this century.
We
give thanks for those who appear born to express faith through rigid creeds and
behaviour.
We
give thanks for others who seem destined to follow Christ among innumerable
questions and doubts.
We
give thanks for members whose faith appears to be a profound, childlike
simplicity, unhurried and unworried.
We
give thanks for those who seem unable to find one satisfying word with which to
describe You, yet whose faith is constantly renewed by a wordless awe in the
presence of Unnameable Love.
Lover
of diversity, God of all souls, continue to give us the grace to treasure each
other with all our oddness and to use these differences as we minister to the
diversity of people who share this twenty first century with us.
To
your praise and glory. Amen!
SPECIAL CHRISTIANS
We
say thanks, generous God, for those special Christians who are much tougher,
and yet more tender, than we are.
Who
keep their balance in the midst of changes that cause us to waver this way and
that.
Whose
love of justice, truth and mercy inspires them to deeds exceeding what is
expected.
Who
never withdraw from the misery and cries of their wounded or forgotten
neighbours.
Whose
faith looks for no escape from sticky situations of misunderstanding or
hostility.
Who
embrace awkward and hard-to-love people without stiffness or reservation.
Who
forgive their enemies and go the second mile with no hint of self
congratulation.
Whose
sense of humour leads them to laugh while we whinge and lick our wounds.
Whose
everyday love and hope counterbalance the avarice and cynicism of society.
God
of all courageous and debonair souls, if we cannot emulate their character and
deeds, may we at least have the grace to support them and pray for them.
Through Christ Jesus, the strongest and most grace-full of them all. Amen!
WORRY AND THE CHURCH
Leader:
We have been stupid again, God! We have let our faith be corroded by the
worries of the world.
People: We are more aware of fear than
hope, more familiar with anxiety than serenity.
Leader:
We confess that this acidic unfaith even eats away at our church committees,
councils and worship.
People: We worry, worry, worry about
falling numbers and our declining influence in society.
Leader:
We even worry about the possibility of the church becoming extinct.
People: Then we become weary and
irritable with one another.
Lord
have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Christ
have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Lord
have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Leader:
Most loving and ever faithful God, return us to the sanity of faith. Help us to
let go of our worrying habits and stand empty in the presence of your abundant
grace.
People: Remind us that the church is
yours, not ours. In its strength or in its weakness, keep us faithful to the
Gospel of Christ and alert to your Spirit’s pulse.
Leader:
If it is your will that aspects of the church that we have loved must die, let
us embrace death gracefully.
People: If it is your plan that a new church
should be born, let us suffer the travail gratefully.
Leader:
Fill us with courage, a sense of humour and a quiet mind.
People:
For yours is the kingdom, power and glory of irrepressible love, today,
tomorrow and forever. Amen
COME AGAIN FEET-WASHER
God
how selfish and competitive
is this twenty first century!
And
how divided and self-serving
are the branches of the church!
May
he whose name is Feet Washer,
Son of Common Man,
Wounded Healer,
Jesus-Saviour,
Son of True God,
come
again with his unique glory
to call, heal and gather
his scattered flock
into one harmonious outpouring
of love and service.
For
your love’s sake. Amen!
UNANIMOUS GOODNESS
O God the
Father, Origin of Divinity, Good that is beyond all good, lovely beyond all that
is lovely, in you there is calmness, peace and harmony. End the arguments that
divide us from each other, and bring us back to a unity of love, which will
bear some likeness to your divine nature. As you oversee all things, bring us
to a unanimous goodness, that through the embrace of love and in the ties of
affection we may be spiritually one. Through the grace, the mercy, and the
tenderness of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen!
Dionysius Telmaharensis (d 845 AD)
PROGRAM US
God
our Saviour, as we meet together on the first day of the week, reprogram us
with your wisdom. Give us the capacity to work boldly and humbly with the risks
and opportunities which confront us, knowing that nothing is ahead of your
foresight nor outside of your strength. Through Jesus Christ our Brother and
Lord. Amen!
THE TABLE
Lord
of
simplicity,
cement
the legs of your Table
into
the rock floor
of
my little house of faith;
then,
should
the bailiffs
of
contemporary doubt
arrive
at my door
with
their bullying ways
to
dispossess me
of
my religious furniture
and
cushioned comforts,
there
will
remain
that
one altar of love,
where
I may place
a
roll of bread
and
cup of wine
and
I
will know that
all
is well
and
all manner of things
will
be well.
CLOSING CHURCHES
Give
your people the will, loving God, to close down some churches with the same
faith and vision with which we open them. Let us give thanks for all precious
memories, but do not permit us to live in them. Inspire us to move on
gratefully and graciously, to worship and witness in new places and in new
ways. And may the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing.
Amen.
RETURNING TO PERFECTION
God of
unchanging power and eternal light, look generously at your whole church, that
wonderful and sacred mystery, and carry out the work of our salvation. Let the
whole world feel and see that things which were cast down are being raised up,
and things which had grown old are being made young, and all things are
returning to perfection. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gelasian
Sacramentary
(C. 495 AD
YOU SEE THROUGH ME
Loving God, you see through me and know me!
Whether I rush or rest, you are with me.
When I wander, you seek me out;
you always recognise what I am up to.
Before I can turn thoughts into words,
you understand my deepest longings.
Where could I ever lose touch with you?
Where could I escape your Presence?
If I rocket through the skies of outer space,
or meet other children of the stars,
you will be waiting for me out there,
still loving me without limit.
If everything on earth goes wrong
and the world becomes sheer hell,
even then your hand shall lead me,
your right hand shall tightly hold me
If I slip into the darkness of depression,
each day as gloomy as deep night,
you are the torch at my side,
the radiance at the end of the tunnel.
O God, your thoughts for me are precious,
the total is defies computation,
they outnumber the sand and the stars;
yet at the end, there is much more.
See through me and test my feelings,
sift me and sample my thoughts,
uncover anything that is infected
and lead me on the boundless journey.
Amen!
*From Psalm 139
BEYOND
NOISY WORDS
You, who fill heaven and
earth, always busy, always quiet, who are present everywhere and everywhere are
fully present; You who are not absent when far away, who with your whole being
fill yet go beyond all things; You who teach the hearts of the faithful without
the din of words, teach us, we pray. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
St Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD)
A CREED: LORD OF THE STARS
We believe!
We believe in you; one God, maker of heaven and earth.
We believe you have not left yourself without witness
among the stars.
In our galaxy, within the immense majesty of the Milky Way,
you are ever present.
Outside our galaxy, through the wonders of worlds unknown,
you are at work.
We believe that wherever other creatures might live, think and feel,
you have shown and commanded love.
Whenever beings have rebelled and fallen into damnation,
you come have to them as Saviour.
There is no corner of any distant planet, no child of the stars,
outside your infinite providence.
O great Shepherd of the stars, who calls each by name, we rejoice in your Ever-Presence. You have not forgotten the small planet which we call home but have crowned it with glory and honour by coming to us in your True Son, Christ Jesus. Holy, holy, holy are you! Heaven and earth are full of your glory!
Lord God, maker of heaven and earth, we believe!
YOU ARE GOD!
God, you are God! The Splendour we cannot imagine, the Wisdom we cannot contain, the Power we cannot manipulate, the Love we cannot buy.
God, you are God! The Source of our purest longings, the Grace that redeems our failings!
God, you are God! The faithful Lover of humanity, the Friend of sinners!
God, you are God! The crucified One bruised for our iniquities, the
Word that wakes the dead!
God, you are God! And we, a few of
those creatures who have found a little faith and love, will worship and serve
you all our days. In the name of the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen!
HINTS OF GOD
You God, You who are the Bread that sustains our being and the Light that opens our eyes, we recognise some of your providential ways.
You give the warmth that radiates from a stone wall after an hour in the winter sunshine.
You come with the spinifex pigeons, picking among the red sand for the crumbs of our camp breakfast.
You whisper in the composers, whose symphonies rise far above their own experience.
You fill the small stream, rippling for a brief season between extensive droughts.
You strengthen the young joeys, exploring the world with bounding enthusiasm.
You speak from the handicapped person, selling papers by the railway station.
You sing with the lone blackbird, sending a defiant song into a bitter August dawn.
You fill the outback water hole, fed by subterranean streams from rains that fell long ago.
You visit us with the wind in desert sheoaks, singing through long, lonely nights.
You confront us in the child, arguing about the fairness of the parable of the workers in the vineyard’.
You treasure the surviving grape vines that survive around the ruins of pioneer’s stone cottage.
You meet us in the gnarled, arthritic fingers, serving us bread in the house of prayer.
O God, you who are Holy Humility and Mundane Immediacy, we recognise some of your ways! Praise and glory, honour and love, joy and celebration, belong to you in all the earth! Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
YOU ARE
You are the Surprise from whom all discoveries grow,
the Delight of whom each victory sings,
the Joy to whom all lasting pleasures flow,
the Search out of whom all science springs,
the Truth who surfaces when all seems lost,
the Love who will not count the cost,
Creating God, high above our understanding,
we worship your Mystery!
Redeeming God, deep beyond our deserving,
we worship your Mystery!
Inspiring God, near beyond our knowing,
we worship your Mystery!
Amen! And again we say Amen!
OPEN
OUR EYES
Lord, we pray that you will
open our eyes to behold the heaven that lies about us, wherein they walk who,
being born of the new life, serve you with the clearer vision and the greater
joy. Amen!
R.L. Stevenson (1850-1894 AD)
TO A MUCH-IGNORED GOD
Much-ignored God, pity our self-important attempts to live without reference to you. Bring us to our senses.
We are lost, even in our own homes, until you call our names.
We are deceived until your truth breaks through all counterfeits.
We are uptight with self-justifications until your grace relaxes us.
We are at war with ourselves until you bring a peace which outstrips
all self-help therapies.
Without you, we spend ourselves in counter productive activity, bereft of adequate purpose and devoid of lasting value. With you, we participate in the wondrous patterns and beauties of infinite purposefulness.
Come to us then, much-ignored God. Come to us and mesh our brash littleness with your graceful immensity. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
SCIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
Sooner or later, O God, our adventurous race might one day explore everything which is within your universe. We might uncover the last secret of our remarkable brains and chart the final stars of outer space.
But you, we cannot explore or measure; no maps, no theories, no mathematical formula, no microscopic or telescopic photos. We see nothing of your Mystery unless you choose to reveal it. We have no knowledge of you unless you chose to teach us.
Humbly and gratefully we give
thanks for the revelation that you have given, for the little you have chosen
to teach us. Most of all, we thank you for Jesus of Nazareth who is the mirror
image of your grace and truth. We cleave to him with love and adoration.
Through him we offer to you ourselves, with the elementary science we now
possess and all the staggering discoveries that are to come. To you all thanks,
praise and glory belong. Through Jesus Christ; Amen!
ENCOUNTERS OF A FOURTH KIND?
Lord of life, what an outburst of wonder there will be on earth if one day we make contact with others beings from among the starry skies. Yet how much more wonder-full it is that we already have been given contact with the very Creator of the cosmos! We are a Visited planet: Hallelujah!
O Wonder beyond wonders! O Joy beyond joys! Exhilaration and praise, exultation and glory, love and yearning adoration belongs to you from every place on planet earth! Hallelujah! Amen!
THE MYSTERY
Awesome Cosmic-Creator, how inadequately we understand you!
Wonderful Brother- Redeemer, how glibly we speak of you!
Pervasive Friend-Spirit, how shallowly we inhale you!
Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts! All things are filled with your inexplicable glory!
Our loftiest creeds chart but a corner of your kingdom. Our noblest deeds explore but the fringes of your ways. All the books in all the theological libraries of the world are like the chatter of little children who have paddled in the shallows of the ocean.
Yet we celebrate all we can know
of you, through the gift of Christ Jesus. He makes the difference between faith
and fear, hope and despair, love and apathy, joy and angst, madness or praise.
Through him we offer you the best of our praise and the holiest of our deeds.
Amen!
FIRST LOVE
Dear love
first love
last love
all-loving love
Pure joy
at the nucleus
of today
waiting to be
received
Cup overflowing
the best wine
that is kept
until the last
Pristine love
priceless pearl
yet given away
and shared
by beggars
Time-free love
beginning
at the end
redeeming
Love saying
“you are saved
come with me
be what you are
my beloved”
Dear Love
it is you
we love
and adore
A
SWEET BARGAIN
O my God, let me walk in
the way of that love which does not know how to be selfish. Let me love you
just for yourself, and nothing else but in you and for you. Let me love nothing
instead of you. To give all for love is a most sweet bargain. Let your love
work in me and by me, and let me love you as you would want to me loved. Amen!
Gertrude More (1606-1633 AD)
G.O.D
God! G.o.d. These three letters with which we name you, are a pathetic inadequacy.
How can one word carry the message of the Origin of that massive glory, the fringes of which astronomers and space probes are encountering within the majesty of the cosmos?
How shall they convey, or even hint at, the Source of the intricate glory which geneticists are unravelling from within all living things?
How can one, three letter word, serve to point to the Secret of the glory which medical science is exploring within the human brain and which philosophers ponder in the fact of self-consciousness?
How shall we, of the church, use this frail word ‘God’ to declare the incomparable glory of saving, healing Love which we still find confronting us in Christ Jesus?
O Source and Goal of our being, Joy and Light of our aspiring, all our words are too inadequate to even hint at your Adequacy! Help us to so back up our use of the word ‘God’ with integrity, love, humility and a sense of awe, that others may catch a glimpse of the Wonder that has touched and redeemed us and of the Spirit who, incognito, is at work within them.
Through Jesus Christ, our Brother and Lord. Amen!
THE
TRINITY
You, eternal Trinity, are a
deep sea, into which the more I enter the more I find, and the more I find the
more I seek. The soul cannot be satiated in your abyss, for she continually
hungers after you, the eternal Trinity, desiring to see you with the light of
light. As the tongue desires springs of running water, so my soul desires to
leave this dark body to see you in truth. O abyss, O eternal Godhead, O sea
profound, what more could you give me other than yourself? Amen!
St Catherine of Sienna (1347-1380 AD)
WHY?
Why do you hide yourself so effectively, God? Why do you make faith such a gamble? Why can’t you show yourself unambiguously so that each person may make up their mind whether to be a lover or a rebel?
As things are, all the boundaries are blurred. There are numerous choice souls in the community who live their whole lives in the shadowland between faith and disbelief. Some of the finest, loyal people in your church go through dark times when they wonder if they are following an illusion. Even your wonderful saints have periods of black emptiness.
Truly, you are a frustrating God!
If it were not for my interminable hunger that has tasted the bread from Jesus
of Nazareth, I would have given you up long ago!
THE INTIMATE ABSENCE
You
who are the active stillness;
the outer rim
yet inner hub
of all that is
or ever will be;
You,
the intimate absence;
the Presence we know
yet whose fullness
flows far outside
our understanding;
You,
the Christmas extravagance;
the Love self-limited
within one human life
yet embracing millions
and transcending stars;
You,
who are the Easter folly;
the God who dies alone
yet whose abundant life
neither tomb nor hell confines
nor even heaven contains.
Glory in the highest!
LOVE AND THE GLOBAL VILLAGE
God
of Christ Jesus, the task of loving every neighbour as we love ourselves has
become too big for us. The world is now too small, its population too large,
the burden of its evil and misery too enormous.
We
dare not pray with earlier generations for ‘such kindness of heart that we may
sympathise with every affliction and feel for every misfortune, as if it were
our own.* To do so would be to fail you. Under its load we would become broken
in spirit and body, numbered among the world’s victims rather than its healers.
Therefore
we pray you for common sense. Let each of us be ready to do what can reasonably
be done, add a little more by your grace, and then leave the rest to you and
your other servants.
And
God have mercy on us all! Amen!
* Nakatenus,
17th Century priest.
WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS
Wouldn’t
you think, Lord, that with the wonders our advanced science
and
brilliant technology, we would have applied it for peace on earth
and
goodwill among the nations? Wouldn’t you expect that with the
libraries
of civilisation on the internet we would have now
learned
how to get on with one another?
Yet
here we are, competitive and callous, divided and divorced,
blinded
by the tribal politics, inventing new weapons of war,
fearing
the truth, avoiding the love which is true life.
O
Saviour Christ, enter our being with a Word sharper than a sword,
prune
the deep roots of our wanting and willing, nurture us with
your
free grace which from a Cross reconciles all things.
Make
us advanced in the things of the Spirit until our hearts are
joined
in a common purpose and our deeds declare
your
glory! Amen!
POVERTY AND HUNGER
Make us
worthy, Lord, to serve our fellows throughout the world who live and die in
poverty and hunger. Give them, through our hands, this day their daily bread.
And by our understanding love, give joy and peace. Amen!
Mother Teresa of
Calcutta (b. 1910 AD)
INJUSTICE AND SUFFERING
God
of all, the clamour of this world’s injustice and suffering is too much with
us. Its cries hurt our ears, its sad faces haunt our eyes. From television and
telephone, mail box and fax, it begs for our charity.
God,
we cannot cope with it all! The weight of it can push us down into laborious,
guilt-driven activity or towards a self-protective indifference.
Saviour
God, deliver us from either trying to be messiah or from evading our
responsibilities. From among the multiplicity of righteous works that need to
be done, help us to recognise the few that we can do and to do them well. Give
us the humility and the sanity to leave the total scene to you and those other
of your servants whom you enlist.
By
your unlimited love and untimed patience, bring
nearer that day when weeping will turn to laughter and fear to dancing; when
“justice shall roll down like waterfalls and righteousness like an ever-flowing
stream.”
For
your love’s sake. Amen!
THE DISADVANTAGED
God
of love, have mercy on the world of human affairs where the gap between the
advantaged and disadvantaged seems to be ever widening.
We
pray for all victims of this injustice:
For the sick and the maimed who cannot
afford the latest in medical technology.
For the hungry millions who have been
denied the benefits of genetically improved grains, fruits and meats.
For indigenous minorities whose health and
education prospects lag far behind the general population.
For the unemployed who have been cast aside
by the electronic revolution in industry and commerce.
For the second and third generation of
refugees who are still living in camps that we set up in the previous century.
For small nations who are being exploited
or shut out of markets by the strong and aggressive.
For the poor who cannot afford to pay the
cost of obtaining justice in courts of law.
God
of justice and mercy, keep your church faithful and compassionate. Do not
permit us to become so concerned with our own weaknesses that we neglect to
love our neighbour even as Christ Jesus has loved us. In his name we pray. Amen
DIVORCED
Loving
God, our prayers reach out to the newly divorced. Once they made their vows
before you, radiant with love and hope, convinced they had found a soul-mate
for life.
Today
they are a mixture of grief and relief, aching from a raw wound in their being,
uncertain of their own wisdom, distrustful of others, anxious about the future.
Saviour-Friend,
with the tendrils of your Spirit reach into the secret places of the deepest
hurt. Cleanse the wounds and begin the process of healing. Restore their broken
self confidence and grant them the invaluable gift of your peace.
In
the days ahead, be to them the Friend whose love never wearies and the Lord who
redeems the unhappy years.
For
our love’s sake. Amen!
THE NERVOUSLY ILL
Lord of
great compassion, we pray you for those who are nervously ill, and too weak or
anxious to lift themselves above the fear and sadness that threaten to
overwhelm then. Do you yourself, Lord, lift them up and deliver them, as you
delivered your disciples in the storm at sea, strengthening their faith and
banishing their fear. Turning to you, may they find you, and finding you may
they find also all you have laid up for them within the fortress of your love.
Amen!
Elizabeth
Goudge (1900-1984 AD)
THE MERCY OF JUSTICE
Where
are things heading, God of wisdom?
Unless
you are a God of justice and judgement,
the future of this arrogant world is
dismal.
Unless
you are a God of grace and mercy,
our place in your future is hopeless.
With
the anger of a temple cleansing,
overthrow greed and scatter our
indifference.
With
the suffering of your crucified Son,
forgive our sins and heal our diseases.
With
the mercy of justice and the justice
of your unique mercy, lead us on towards
the consummation of your kingdom.
You
alone are our help and hope.
You
alone are our health and happiness.
Through
Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen!
FOR WORLD PEACE
Bless, O
God, all who dedicate their powers today to the making of peace in the world;
Bless all
who give their training and experience to feed and clothe and house the
destitute;
Bless all
who lend their energies and skills to teach impoverished people to till, water
and harvest their land.
And give
us all a lively concern for the underprivileged, and show us practical ways for
helping. For Christ’s sake. Amen.
Rita Snowden (20th.
Century AD)
THE POOR
As
you once said, Lord Jesus, the poor are always with us. Overseas and in our
land, in crowded refugee camps and sleeping on our city streets. The poor. Your
much-loved poor.
Some
are poor by choice, some by their foolishness, some by calamity, and many
because of the greed of the rich and the indifference of the comfortable.
Christ
have mercy on us all. Give us the political will and know-how to lessen the
injustices that perpetuate poverty. Bless the efforts of the religious and
secular agencies who reach out with disciplined compassion. Prompt each of us
to do whatever seems possible and then to prayerfully consider what more can be
done.
In
the meantime, while we are now praying, touch the lives of your children who
are in poverty with blessings which the rich cannot know. For your love’s sake.
Amen.
FOR OUR CITY
O God,
grant us a new vision for our city, as fair as she might be:
a city of justice, where none shall prey on
others;
a city of plenty, where vice and poverty
shall not fester;
a city of brotherhood, where success shall
be founded on service;
a city of peace, where order shall not rest
on force but on love for all.
Hear the
prayer of all our hearts as we each pledge our time, strength and thought to
speed the coming day of beauty and righteousness. Amen!
W. Rauschenbusch (1861-1918 AD)
SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITY
God
of all peoples and all times, inspire us to seize the opportunities of this
century with faith, hope and love:
To
apply the best scientific skills to reverse the degradation of land and stream,
sea and air.
To
shape political parties that without fear or favour will govern with justice
and compassion.
To
make the best medical practice and hospital care accessible to all people.
To
ensure that space exploration is for the common good and not for the power or
greed of a few.
To
use fax, internet and videophone to foster peace on earth and goodwill among
all people.
To
make certain that our courts and true justice are available to the least and
last citizen among us.
To
apply genetic engineering to eliminate malnutrition and hunger rather than
increase the profits of multi-nationals.
To
follow the Spirit as it rebuilds the church as one family in worship,
fellowship and service.
For
these challenges and many more, give us the will to turn our prayers into
programmes, actions and, where needful, into loving self sacrifice. Through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
FOR BALANCED LIVES
God
of holiness, save us from everything that distracts or debases our longing for
truth, beauty and goodness.
God
of wholeness, restore a balance to our pressured, lopsided lives.
May
eyes trained for video screens and traffic lights, have time to delight in
pygmy possums and banksia blossoms.
May
ears force-fed with sensational news and loud music find pleasure in the rippling of creeks and the songs of blue
wrens.
May
noses flooded with exhaust and industrial fumes savour again the scent of wild boronia or a salty sea breeze.
May
hands addicted to the touch of credit cards and ATM’S find release in the clasp
of a child or the ’passing of the peace’.
May
minds bruised with information-overload be open to the Gospel parables and the
plight of the needy.
May
appetites pampered with wines or sated with junk food be renewed by the bread
of life and the cup of salvation.
God
of holiness, God of wholeness, through the simple gifts of your creation
restore our balance, and through the grace of Christ Jesus heal us all. For
your name’s sake. Amen!
FOR THE NEW KINGDOM
God, the
Father of all, you have lovingly made the peoples of the world to be one
family. Help those of different races and religions to love, understand and
accept one another. Take away all hatred, jealousy and prejudice, so that all
may work together for the coming of your kingdom of righteousness and peace;
through J
Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen!
Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941 AD)
THE OPPOSITION
God
of all times and all people,, teach us to listen to the things you have to say
and to notice the good things you are doing through people who seem to oppose
us.
Open our eyes to what you are doing through
the political parties for whom we will never vote.
Open our ears to the word you speak through
those Christians whose theology and worship appear to be at odds with much of
the faith which we hold.
Open our minds to the light you may have to
shed through religions which are not of the Christian fold.
Open our consciences to the new challenges
with which you confront us through those whose sincere moral convictions
startle or offend us.
Spirit
of living Truth, give us generous hearts and discerning minds, that we may
travel through the maze of this world’s opinions with compassion for our
enemies and a passion to love you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
Through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen!
GROWING OLD
Jesus, who
never grew old, it is not easy for any of us to face old age. It is fine to be
young, attractive, and strong. Old age reminds us of weakness and dependence on
others. But to be your disciple means accepting weakness and interdependence.
Because of you we can rejoice in weakness in ourselves, and be tender to it in
others.
Monica Furlong (b 1930 AD)
I SHALL NOT WANT
God, of
your goodness, give me yourself; for you are sufficient for me. I cannot
properly ask anything less, to be worthy of you. If I were to ask less, I would
always be in want. In you alone do I have all.
Lady Julian of Norwich (1342-1417 AD)
BE WITH US: A LITANY.
You,
wonderful God, whose glory the heavens declare
and
whose handiwork the whole earth sees;
be
with astronomers and astronauts
artists,
photographers and bush walkers.
You,
whose Spirit brooded over the face of the earth
and
brought breath to all that lives and grows;
be
with health workers who control viruses and bacteria,
or
engineer genes and chromosomes.
You,
for whom truth is not mere facts and figures
but
relationship and the gift of eternal love;
be
with those whose science has left them empty
or
whose technology has become a slavery.
You,
who give us faith that leads to many doubts
and
deep doubts that lead to a larger faith;
be
with all agnostics and those who despair,
and
all the pure of heart who hunger for you.
You,
who have created us for fulfilment and joy,
and
do not rest while one lost person is in misery;
be
with those who are lost in amusement arcades
or
imprisoned by poker machines and casinos.
You,
who should mother and father forsake us,
cherish
us as your very own family;
be
with abused children and street kids,
social
workers, magistrates and foster parents.
You,
who when thick darkness covered humanity,
leapt
into the night bringing light and joy;
be
with night-shift workers and police,
evangelists,
counsellors and pastors.
You,
whose first-born, perfect Child
covered
our sins and bore our griefs;
be
with mothers and midwives,
the
falsely accused and sorely abused.
You,
who banish fears and bring a new dawn,
who
swallow up death in victory;
be
with those who risk their lives for others
and
all who today face death alone.
You,
who know our needs before we utter them
and
do far more than we can ask or imagine;
be
with us as we offer these prayers
and
with all who have forgotten how to pray.
Through
Jesus Christ our Brother and Saviour.
Amen
and Amen!
A BLESSING
Deep peace
of the running wave be yours.
Deep peace
of the flowing air be yours.
Deep peace
of the quiet earth be yours.
Deep peace
of the shining stars be yours.
The deep,
deep peace of the Son of peace be yours.
From a
Celtic Benediction.
NOT BY ANY CHANCE
Save
us, redeeming God, from the glitz and despair of the contemporary casino
culture of our nation.
We
rejoice in the unique place each one of us holds in your purposes. We thank you
that we have not haphazardly appeared on earth like numbers on lotto balls but
at the right place at the right time in your providence. Before we were born,
you planned for us. From childhood to old age you cherish and guide us. At the
far end of the valley of the shadow of death you prepare a place for us. In
this very moment, loving Friend, you call us to share in your love for the
world.
O
God of complex providence and inexhaustible love, let us fulfil the purposes
for which we were born. Through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen!
RECYCLING
Creating
God, teach us to use carefully the good gifts of this planet, our first home.
Let us be mindful of the hundreds of generations that might yet come, to
minimise waste, and to recycle all that we can.
We
also pray for a recycling in our personal lives. By the grace of your Christ
and the rejuvenation of your Spirit, recycle in us those gifts and virtues that
may have become ragged or been cast aside.
Recycle
our faith, that we may run and not be weary, walk and not faint.
Recycle
our hope, that we may rise up from pessimism like the flight of eagles.
Recycle
our love, that justice may roll on like a flood, and righteousness like an everflowing stream.
Loving
God, let us model our approach to recycling on your grace which regards no gift
as trivial and no person as redundant.
For
Christ‘s sake. Amen!
AN
ELASTIC LOVE
O Lord,
may I never lose, as years pass away and the heart shuts up and all things are
a burden, let me never lose this youthful, eager, love of you. Make your grace
supply the failure of my nature. Do the more for me the less I can do for
myself. Amen!
J. H. Newman (1801-1890)
AT HOME IN ALL PLACES
Not
in a house, city or town,
not in family, community or nation,
but in You, God, we are at Home.
When
we rest our restlessness in you,
we are at home at all times,
and in all places and situations.
Beneath
the fraudulent glamour
that disguises a godless society
we find you loyally waiting for us.
When
a bewildering gaggle of questions
demand difficult answers from us,
you are our sure starting point.
From
the hard demands of the workplace
for retraining or relocation,
you are our refuge and strength.
When
we are bruised by many knock-backs
and opportunities seem closed to us,
yours is the door that is always open.
You,
God! You, God of steadfast love,
you are our immovable Home,
the hub of love and lasting joy! Amen!
INITIATOR
I
would no have known
my
name,
if
You had not asked
it
of me.
I
would not have believed
my
worth,
if
You had not worn
my
shame.
I
would not have begun
to
see,
if
You had not lived
on
this earth.
I
would not have learned
to
love,
if
You had not first
loved
me.
FOR SPECIAL GIFTS
Grace-giver,
holy Friend, give us the sense to want you, the eagerness to seek you, the
patience to wait for you, the insight to recognise you, the passion to meditate
on you, and a life-style that praises you. Through the strength of the Spirit
of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
St Benedict of Nursia (480-547 AD)
ON TRACK
Lord
of pilgrims,
when
the track that looked promising
peters out and my energy is gone,
when
all I can do is to take shelter
from
the chill wind,
then I find you waiting
with bread and wine
and a hand on my shoulder
which turns me
in a new direction
where I never expected
to travel.
Then
as I set out,
surprised
at the renovation
within
my being,
delighted
with the eagerness
which
now spurs
my
mind and feet,
I
discover fresh tracks,
new vistas to inspire me,
new valleys and streams,
new melodies on my tongue
and new hopes that pray
themselves into action.
Thanks,
Lord of pilgrims,
for
your renewing Spirit.
Amen!
SOFTWARE
God
of all power and truth and grace,
program
us with the words and ways
of
Nazareth’s most famous Son,
that
we may be able to configure
all
the changes and pressures of this new age
with
a wisdom that far exceeds self-interest
and
with a love that outleaps all knowledge.
Through
Christ Jesus, our Saviour. Amen.
THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE
We
thank you, loving Creator, for the vision, energy and brilliant technology
which set the Hubble Telescope, and its successors, in orbit. As the human mind
probes further than ever before, more of the colossal grandeur of creation is
revealed, and we become aware of the magnitude which still lies out of our
reach. Do not let our discoveries diminish our faith but enlarge it. Lead us to
a greater awe and wonder; to a worship which is enriched by the contemplation
of the work of your fingers, and a gratitude that is even more amazed by the
holy incarnation, ministry, suffering and death of your True Son, our Saviour
Jesus Christ. In his name we pray. Amen.
KNOCK-BACKS
Lord
of my life,
how
often have I
begged
you
for special mercies,
besieged
you
for clear guidance,
pleaded
for gifts
with which to serve you,
knocked
on your door
like the pestering widow.
But
time after time
you have met me
with
the grace
of firm rejections,
and
through these
very knock-backs
you
have taken me
on a steeper track
to a better destination.
For
such hard love
and
undiluted wisdom,
I give you rueful thanks
and joyful praise!
EACH COMMON DAY
How
wonderful, loving God,
are your common gifts
of time and place!
We
go to our beds
enfolded within
the restful night.
A
few hours later
we awake to light
and find ourselves
in
a perfectly new day
never before explored
or sullied by human shame.
May
we, full-filled by Jesus Christ,
who have found in each
brief, ordinary day
a
fifth dimension,
explore and celebrate
this unspeakable mystery
by
freely loving as we are loved.
OUR ANSWER
Source
of being,
Saviour
of sinners,
Soul
of new life,
be our Answer
in the scrum of life.
Source
of being,
creating
and shaping,
sustaining
and tending,
be our Answer
when hope loses heart.
Saviour
of sinners,
seeking
and finding,
healing
and freeing,
be our Answer
when love runs dry.
Soul
of new life,
rebirthing
and bonding,
inflaming
and enlightening,
be our Answer
when faith burns low.
Source
of being,
Saviour
of sinners,
Soul
of new life,
be our Answer
in life and death.
KEEPING IT SIMPLE
God our
Creator, I do not strive to understand you or the world you have made. I cannot
know the reason for pain and suffering. I just want to relieve the pain and
suffering of others. I pray that as I do it, I may understand more clearly your
nature: that you are the father of all people, and that the hairs of my head
are numbered. Amen!
St Francis of Assisi (1181-1226 AD)
FIRST THINGS
Loving
God, induce us to put first things first. Help us to see that building a colony
on Mars, or growing replacements parts for the human body does not make us more
like you. By love alone you lead us to our true destiny. Fill us with the
tough, tenacious, tender love of Christ Jesus, so that on Earth or on Mars, in
the biology lab or in the shopping mall, we may be like you and serve you
gloriously. For your love’s sake. Amen!
GOD OUR GOD
God
our God,
Creator,
Redeemer, Inspirer,
we
trust your Mystery.
You
are the end
before the beginning,
the
flower
preceding seed
You
are the fruit
before the tree,
the
necessity
within our need.
You
are the purpose
preceding patterns,
the
pure Word
before all speech.
You
are the meaning
between the lines,
the
finding
before our seeking.
You
are the past
we cannot leave,
the
pre-life
that dies to live.
God
or God,
Creator,
Redeemer, Inspirer,
We
adore your Mystery!
WHILE AWAITING EXECUTION
I do not
know, O God, what may happen to me today. I only know that nothing will happen
to me but what has been foreseen by you from all eternity, and that is
sufficient. O my God, keep me in peace. I adore pour eternal designs. Through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Elizabeth
of France (1764-1794 AD)
SHAPING
You
God,
who are shaping a glorious future
out of the hazards and the opportunities
of escalating changes and age-old
convictions,
please
give us more of your Spirit that may discern
between the good and evil of this tumultuous
century
and makes those choices which will keep us
within
the currents of your life and light and holy
joy.
Through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
KEEP US TRUE
Grant,
Lord, that we may hold to you without parting, worship you without wearying,
serve you without failing; faithfully seek you, happily find you, and forever
possess you, the only God, blessed now and forever. Amen!
St.
Anselm (1033-1109 AD)
A LOST CHRISTMAS?
God!
They have taken away Christmas
and
we do not know where they have laid it!
They
have replaced the Gift with an orgy of getting,
displaced
Advent expectation with a pantomime of parties,
captured
carols by candlelight and fed it to trivial television,
and
drowned the Wonder in a swamp of alcohol.
We
arrive at Christ’s birthday distracted, distended, disinterested.
Lord,
Emmanuel, please lead us again to the place where Christ is born, that we may
come and worship him with the delight of primitive adoration. Let this be, dear
Lord. Let this be! Amen!
IT’S NOT ALL UP TO US
O my Lord,
what a great comfort it is that you did not entrust the fulfilment of your will
to one so useless as I!
I thank
you forever! Let all things praise you! As things stand, Lord, though my will
is not yet free from self-interest,
I freely
hand it over to you. Amen!
St Teresa of
Avila (1515-1582 AD)
FOR THE LUKEWARM
We,
O God, we are the second-rate Christians.
We
admire Jesus and follow from a safe distance. We know we need him yet are
afraid to live on the frontiers of this century with him. Those other
enthusiastic Christians, who wear their heart on their sleeve, embarrass us.
Those who openly evangelise, or get all excited about their church, or who are
social justice activists, make us nervous. And so we drag along half-believing,
half-loving, half-living.
God
of generous patience, save us from our caution. Help us to break out of our
timidity and take a few risks. Stir up in us both the desire and the will to
dare a little more each day. Let us begin to enjoy the liberation of being
fools for Christ’s sake. To your glory. Amen
CHANGING MOODS
Some
summer evenings,
when my body is hot and weary,
my soul is subdued and sluggish,
and my mind outcries
against the gross stupidity
greed and cruelty
of insolent humanity,
to
believe in a God
who
is love and beauty
seems
sadly absurd!
But
on a fresh morning,
when my body rises young
while my mind and soul
are delighted by magpies,
thoughts of simple saints,
and the courageous Christ’s
remarkable sanity,
not
to believe in a God
of
loving immediacy
seems
madly absurd!
Lord
of great patience,
to rest my tiny faith,
my perceptions,
my commitments,
and my creeds
worship and service,
in
a anything less
than
the incarnate Word
is
badly absurd.
OVERLOAD
It
is too much, God!
Our
brains feel battered by the growing avalanche
Too
many innovations, figures, opinions, warnings,
promises, deceits, theories, and technical
details.
Enough is enough!
Yet
we know that a selfish retreat is not the answer
for those who follow the Saviour, Christ
Jesus
through the competing complexities of this
century.
Make
us stayers, faithful God;
give us the will to say no to vain
novelties
and the wit to laugh at our own complaints.
Make
us pray-ers, loving God;
give us the wisdom to discern your Spirit
at work
and the wish to boldly live by grace and
truth.
And
when we are utterly weary,
give us time out with friends who dearly
love you,
in fellowship with Christ who makes all
things new.
For
yours is the kingdom,
the
grace-full power and the only glory
for
ever and ever. Amen!
IN THE FAST LANE
Lord
of life, as your people become swept up
by
the many accelerating changes
and
challenges of these days,
help
us to keep our balance.
Do
not tolerate in your church
the
easy options of knee-jerk negativity
or
a comfortable compliance with the world.
Saturate
our true-being with the unique Gospel
of
Christ Jesus, that we may not judge
by
what our busy eyes see
or
by what our ears hear.
Assist
us to discern each day
the
spiritual dimension running free
through
all things, and to make choices
that
will elevate humanity and glorify our God.
We
do not ask you to make things easy for us,
but
that you keep us alert, true, loving
and
joyful through these days
of
remarkable happenings.
For
yours is the emerging kingdom,
the
renewing power, and the loving glory,
yesterday,
today, tomorrow and forever! Amen!
RETRAINING FOR THE MIDDLE-AGED
God-Friend,
today at the beginning of this retraining programme, I pray for a double
measure of your grace.
Once,
I used to look forward to such challenges, enthusiastic about self-discovery,
skill-enhancement and new techniques. But it is no longer that way. Now, in the
middle years, I groan at the imposition of yet another retraining and I resent
the keen-eyed young gurus who will lead it.
Come
to my aid, Friend of those ‘who labour and are over-burdened’.
Marshal
my inner resources so that I will do much more than merely endure these coming
days. Awaken in me a youthful spirit of adventure and let it be tempered (not
sat upon!) by the wisdom of my middle years. Show me not only how to better
please my employers but how to enhance my performance as a servant of Christ
both inside and outside the place where I work.
God-Friend,
I dedicate this training course to you. Again I pray for a double measure of
your grace. Through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen!
OLD PROVERBS
God
of endless hope and enterprise, save us from old proverbs which at times may
discourage and shackle us.
Save us, merciful friend,
---from
not daring to rush in where angels fear to tread and thereby missing the
opportunity of being a fool for Christ’s sake;
---from
attempting to do today those things that are better put off until tomorrow;
---from
being stones that gather moss instead of becoming shiny in the activities of
love;
---from
looking so carefully before we leap that our faith remains stuck in a
pre-Easter timidity;
---from
believing that we only reap what we sow and so depriving ourselves and others
of the bonus of amazing grace;
Loving
God, make us free as the Wind and as bold as Christ, that we may offer this new
age not a repetition of the past but a taste of that glorious future which you
have in store for those who love you. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
DEAR WIND
Wind
over the waters,
wind
over the sea,
Wind
of creation,
breathe life in me.
Wind
on the mountain,
Wind
tossing the tree,
Wind
of the prophets,
breathe life in me.
Wind
on the Jordan,
Wind
on Galilee,
Wind
at Golgotha,
breathe life in me.
Wind
full of Easter,
Wind
of the free,
Wind
of the gifted,
breathe life in me.
THE CHOIR-MASTER OF LIFE
Heavenly
Friend, the Encourager, the Spirit of Truth, you are present in all places,
filling all things. You are the treasury of goodness, the choirmaster of life.
Come and make your home within us, clean out all dirt and wash our souls. Amen
St John Chrysostom (347-407 AD)
TAKING THE WIND OUT OF OUR SAILS
Holy
Friend, we are ready for the challenges of this new era because of those times
of grace when you have seemed to leave us; when you have taken the wind out of
our sails and forced us to work hard against the tide. We complained often, and
at times feared that we were being carried backwards. But you had faith in us;
you knew what we were capable of and waited for us to discover and develop the
hidden strength with which your creating love endows us. For this hard mercy,
and your Presence, hovering like a dove even when we thought we were alone, we
thank and praise you, Holy Friend. Amen!
FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT
Giver
of good gifts, as we accumulate an increasing array of microchip possessions
and entertainments, do not let us forget the far more precious fruits of the
Spirit.
Let
us treasure love far above all goods
and services, and to --
open our hearts to a joy exceeding an adrenalin rush;
accept a peace not dispensed by pharmacies;
temper our frenetic busyness with patience;
replace heartlessness with kindness;
seek goodness
much more than praise;
stay faithful
when others grow faith-weary;
be gentle
as doves in the markets of ruthlessness;
and show self-control in a casino-culture of self-indulgence.
Assist
us to live well and love well, as friends of the Spirit who adopts us into the
family of God. Fill us with yourself, until no pocket of resistance or apathy
remains, and we become mirrors of Christ’s
abundant
truth and Grace. Amen!
*
Galations 5: 22-23
CORELLAS AT DAWN
Like
doves,
a
white cloud of corellas
descend
on a dead tree,
turning
a grey, damp dawn
into
a thing of beauty.
Come,
Spirit of love,
baptise
the barren limbs
of
our discouragement
with
a flock of new hopes
and
clothe our drabness
with
your pure loveliness.
In
your tough mercy
dig
us out of our hiding places.
Touch
our eyes with healing
that
we may look without hurt or fear
on
that holy Light
which
makes all things new.
BONE VALLEY
Save
us, Breath of God,
as
we pass through this century,
from
seeing only the facade
of
human pretension.
Please
open our eyes
that
we may find ourselves
in
Bone Valley.
There,
in this valley of death,
give
us the courage
to
preach to these bones
that
they may live!
If
we protest our incapacity,
asking,
“How can we preach?
What
word have we to say?
Remind
us to preach
the
Man of Nazareth:
words
which mirror actions,
actions
that mirror words;
a
seamless robe,
Love
incarnate,
a
faith that works.
Though
we are inept
in
the ways of such love,
help
us to get started.
Then,
as we speak, we shall hear
some
rattling as a few bones
come
to life and stand up
renewed
in Christ Jesus.
Surely
the Lord is in this place
though
we did not know it!
We
thank you, Breath of Hope,
that
Bone Valley is most surely
becoming
Easter Avenue,
where
the dead hear the voice
of
the Son of Love and live!
Inspired
by Ezekiel 37
THE DEW
Pour on
us, O Lord, the Spirit of love and family-kindness; that sprinkled by the dew
of your benediction we may be made glad by your glory and grace. Through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen!
BY YOUR SPIRIT
When
I am plunged into new situations
and
want to impress peers
with
my capacity to cope,
remind
me, loving Lord,
that
not by pride or power
but
by your Spirit
are
we fulfilled.
When
I become infected and driven
by
this tragic world’s lust
for
status and possessions,
tell
me, loving Lord,
that
not by pride or power
but
by your Spirit
are
we of worth.
When
I feel wounded and betrayed
and
want to hit out at others
to
ease my pain and grief,
teach
me, loving Lord,
that
not by pride or power
but
by your Spirit
are
we healed.
When
I want to take hold of events
and
try to forcibly bend them
to
make a better world,
show
me, loving Lord,
that
not by pride or power
but
by your Spirit
are
we renewed.
For
your loves sake. Amen.
SISTER OF DAWN AND DUSK
Sister
of dawn and dusk
you are with us today.
God
of childhood and old age,
you are with us today.
Friend
of the heavy-laden,
you are with us today.
Spirit
of the poor and merciful,
you are with us today.
Joy
of loving minds and hearts,
you are with us today.
Love
that will not let us go,
you are with us always!
SPIRIT OF LOVE
Spirit
of Christ Jesus,
Spirit
of living truth,
Spirit
of peace and joy,
we adore you.
You
inflame prophets
to fight injustices.
You
infill saints
with a
unique beauty.
You
infuse physicians
with your compassion.
You
instruct preachers
to practice what they preach
You
inspire scientists
to untangle secrets.
You
increase the brave
who walk by faith.
You
include the weak
whom the world despises
You
infect the strong
with your gentle mercy.
You
indwell all
who share your cup.
You
inflow the dead
and they come to life.
Love
you always were,
Love
you are today,
Love
you will ever be,
we adore you.
BRAIN SCAN
Spirit
of truth, you have searched me and known me. You understand those quirks which
even my best friends find off-putting. You scan the intricate circuitry of my
brain and trace the subtle chemistry that influences my feelings and attitudes.
There is not a thought in my head but you know it altogether. The secrets of my
motivation are open to you. You indwell my soul-temple where the gift of faith
resides, resplendent among my doubts.
Spirit
of searching intimacy, in your knowledge of me I find peace.
Spirit
of unswerving truth, I rejoice in your faithfulness!
Spirit
of Christ Jesus, I glory in your redemptive love!
Amen!
HOW STRANGE!
Wonderful
God, how strange it is
that
we sometimes cannot seem
to
find you!
For
without you we could not breathe one breath
or
even have the air to breathe;
without you no life or love,
without you no light or joy,
without you no beginning or end.
You
are in all things and all are in you.
Our
being flows from your holy Breath
and
to you we must return.
How
strange it is that we lose our bearings
in
the midst of such a remarkable, complete
and
intimate love!
Wonderful
God, glorify your name
even
in our spiritual insensitivity
and
times of unbelief! Amen!
IN GOD’S DEEP SPACE
God,
our Creator and Saviour, set us adrift from those handmade space stations which
tempt the star explorer to give up the search. Cut us off from the temptations
of an easy life within safe, rigid limits.
Encourage
us to take love-risks; to journey deep into Spirit-space. Help us to discover
those new worlds which long ago you prepared for us, when “the morning stars
sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy”.
Through
the grace of Jesus Christ, who is with us to the end of all things. Amen!
SPIRIT INTERNET
Most
generous God, you have chosen to make the internet of your Spirit open to all
who crave grace and truth. Encourage us to surf through your resources without
inhibition, willing to knock and enter, seek and find, ask and receive.
Loving
Friend, we want to access and express that special Cross-love which to the
self-righteous is a stumbling block and to the sophisticated is foolishness.
Through
Christ Jesus our Savour. Amen!
THE MAKING OF US
Creator-Spirit,
you are the power which pulses beneath each moment of our lives. We pray that our
lives may resonate with your purposes throughout each day.
As
we push our way among the technology designed by human brains, do not permit us
to lose touch with your Reality. May we delight in the miracle of the human
mind without bowing down to it. Rather let us honour that lofty Mind which is
in the process of making us. Keep alive in us the capacity to wonder and
worship and the desire to be inflooded with your
insatiable love.
Creator-Friend,
in this early phase of the human story, go on we pray, with the difficult task
of creating humanity until we enter into the glorious inheritance of the
children of God.
CASCADE THROUGH US
You,
Spirit-Friend, who are the light of the dreary and the life of the weary, rise
up within us this day!
Leap
up like the sun over dark valleys and enlighten both our path and our minds.
Surge
up like the springtime sap in vines and enliven our hands for fruiting and out
spirits for loving.
You,
Spirit-Friend, who are older than the beginning and younger than the end, cascade
through us with your light and life until we spill over with wonder, love and
praise. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
FOR EVERY STEP FORWARD
We
thank you, untiring Spirit of Truth, for every genuine step forward made by the
human race.
We
give thanks for:
the increasing use of solar power,
the latest wonders of micro surgery,
new social skills in conflict resolution,
improved treatments for mental illness,
safer methods of pest control in
agriculture,
a better understanding of the brain’s
chemistry,
the release of labourers from machine-like
tasks,
new patterns in our worship, fellowship and
service.
more Christian humility when dealing with
other beliefs,
We
thank you, recreating Spirit, that the past need not fetter the future. We
praise you that what eye has not yet seen or ear yet heard, you have in store
for those who love you. Through Jesus Christ our ground and our goal. Amen!
DECISIONS!
Decisions,
decisions, decisions! Creator God, help us, Spirit of Truth guide us, Jesus
Christ save us!
Although
we find ourselves excited by the brilliant achievements of this new age, we
become exhausted by its ethical challenges and confusions. There are moments,
Lord, when we hanker for the simpler days of our great-grandparents, for whom
the path of morality was simply defined by church authority. But now it seems
as if our technological cleverness constantly outruns our ideas of goodness and
we cannot catch up.
Be
with us, loving God, with all your compassion and wisdom. Be with us as we make
decisions about genetic engineering or virtual reality, body transplants or
brain enhancing drugs, space exploration or the adventures of cyberspace, the
artificial maintenance of life or the quality of life and euthanasia. Through
all the changing scenes of life, enable us to seek first your kingdom and its
true-goodness.
Jesus
Christ, make us clever as serpents and gentle as doves.
Spirit
of Truth, keep us sharp witted and love-directed.
Father
of all mercies, help us to so trust you that all things
may
work together for good to those who love you.
For
your love’s sake. Amen!
MORALITY
Save
us, compassionate God, from being sucked into the downward spiral of opinion
poll morality. Bear us upwards within the surging cycle of your grace, from the
mediocre to the good, from the good to the better.
Put
your divine discontent among our shabby thoughts and feelings, that we may
hunger and thirst for that enlightened whole-iness
which is your high calling through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen!
FOR SOME HELP
Please give us, Father-God, a clean start
for beginners, intelligence to the young, aid to those who are running hard,
repentance to those who fall, a revived spirit to those who are lukewarm, and
to those who have given their best a good ending. Amen.
St Irenaeus
of Lyon (d. 202 AD)
TO SEE OURSELVES
Loving
God, pity us when we imagine that our age is the most progressive and
sophisticated that the world has known. We smirk at the half-truths and theories
of superseded cultures, laugh at their fashions and fopperies, and are repelled
at their wilful prejudice which sustained grave injustices. In fact we feel
superior; we are smug.
Have
mercy on us, we pray. Give us the courage to assess ourselves as the future
will assess us. Enable us to see through the deceits of our culture, to reject
the myths that lead us astray, and to spurn the self-adulation which leaves no
space for repentance and renewal.
Save
us, redeeming Lord, from ourselves. Engulf us with your salvation. Nourish us
with the Spirit and teaching of Christ Jesus. Let us live with his integrity
and pass on to future generations some genuine fruits of your kingdom. To your
glory and their enrichment. Amen!
WORDS
When
it comes to words, we are a busy tribe, Lord. Every day we manufacture new
words: new words to label our discoveries in biology or astronomy, new words
for our latest medications or cosmetics, new words by the thousand to help us talk with computers, new words for a
this season’s ice cream or flowers for our gardens; words, words, and yet more
words!
Yet
none bring us closer to you or to our neighbours. We are lost among our clever
words.
Come
to us and come into us with your one true Word! Come and make room for yourself
among the clutter. Speak the Word that was with you from the beginning. Possess
us and reshape us.
If
we are too easily influenced, like clay in the hands of too many potters, take
charge of us; by your Word reshape us and fire us in the ovens of your mercy.
If we have become like a road, hardened by the traffic of life, come with the
jackhammer of your Word to break us and remake us.
O
Jesus Christ, incarnate Word, Friend and Saviour, enter us with the love that
can redeem the lost and exceed our most daring expectations!
To
your glory and our profound happiness. Amen!
WHO ARE WE?
Who
are we, God? Pulled between the glittering allurements of this post-modern age
and an ancient Gospel of costly love, we try and serve two masters.
True
God of True God, recall us to our first love and our primary commitment. Help
us to define ourselves as children of light and joint-heirs with the One who
loved us and gave himself for us. With our feet firmly on your ground, then let
us serve this post-modern world with compassion and courage.
Through
Jesus Christ, the name above all others. Amen!
GENES AND CHOICE
Lord
of genes and chromosomes, how wonderfully you have made us! The more biologists
decode the secrets that determine much of our physical and mental well being,
the more cautious we become about praise and blame. We pray that we may be more
humble about our own strengths and less judgemental of the failings of others.
Yet
we give thanks for the critical component of liberty and responsibility which
remains ours. We will choose this day whom we will serve. Let us use every
opportunity to dignify life with those words and deeds which are grounded in
love. Let us make each decision, from the smallest to the greatest, to praise
and glorify your holy name. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
CLONING?
We
are uneasy, Lord of life. Although we share some of the excitement that follows
the successful cloning of an animal, we have misgivings about what some person
may attempt with human tissue. The possibility of a megalomaniac cloning
themselves, disgusts us as a new and terrible form of idolatry. To bow down and
worship oneself seems to be the ultimate blasphemy. Deliver us, we pray, from
the evil which insinuates itself into all human advancements. More than ever,
we need a Saviour who has overcome the “world, the flesh and the devil”. Amen
BLURRED EDGES
Lord
of clarity,
Here
in this confusing century I find
the
edges between faith and unbelief
are
fudged and blurred.
This
is your world;
I
do not accept the easy doctrine
that
it is all perverse and corrupt,
devoid
of your works.
But
where are you?
Where
are the boundaries between
darkness
and light, lie and gospel,
unfaith
and bold faith?
God
my Saviour,
neither
allow me to spurn your world
nor
be seduced by its tempting deceits
dressed
up as truth.
Save
me and guide me,
that
it may not be said of my life:
Surely the Lord was in this place
but he knew it not
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Save
your people, God of truth and mercy,
from
the chaos of divided loyalties
and
the worship of many gods;
Save
us, God of truth and mercy.
From
making God in our own likeness
and
the slavery of self-centredness;
Save
us, God of truth and mercy.
From
using God’s name trivially
and
claiming him for our prejudices;
Save
us, God of truth and mercy.
From
neglecting sabbatical quiet times
and
being obsessed with busyness;
Save
us, God of truth and mercy.
From
ignoring or despising the elderly
and
over-indulging the new generation;
Save
us, God of truth and mercy.
From
glorifying armaments and war
and
wishing our enemies dead;
Save
us, God of truth and mercy.
From
watering-down love and marriage,
and
the exploitation of sex;
Save
us, God of truth and mercy.
From
the legal robberies of the stock exchange,
and
the cunning thefts of tax evasion;
Save
us, God of truth and mercy.
From
TV programmes that twist the facts,
and
cruel gossip in supermarkets;
Save
us, God of truth and mercy.
From
those who preach greed as a virtue
and
possession-lust which is never satisfied;
Save
us, God of truth and mercy.
O
Jesus Christ, Saviour of all who lose their way,
O
Healing Spirit, Power who renews the world;
We
need you, God of truth and mercy! Amen!
WIDE ANGLED LENS
Loving
God, assist us to work our way through complicated issues. Fit our discernment
with a wide-angled lens, that we may see not only the immediate consequences
for ourselves but the results of our actions at large. For your love’s sake.
Amen!
DOUBTS
You
who are the giver of faith,
and
understand the complexities
of
the doubting mind,
come
to us in the grace
of
our Risen Lord Jesus.
With
his help,
enable
us to doubt
all
our own doubts
with
the same stringency
as
that which we bring
to
blind credulity
and
superstition
of
others. Amen!
AMONG THE STARS
Blessed
are you, Joy of the universe!
Loving
God, in the age of primitive space exploration, we are beginning to realise the
future of humanity may fit somewhere among the stars. But morally and
spiritually we are not ready for the mission.
We
confess that evil is too much with us and of us. The thought of exporting our
greed and aggression to other worlds sickens us. We confess that in spite of
our science and technology we have not yet disciplined ourselves to cherish
this earth and its vulnerable creatures. Although we can transplant hearts and
manipulate genes we are reluctant to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly and
with our God.
Please
God, do not let us loose on other worlds until we have learned to care for this
one. Help us to absorb quickly and thoroughly the ways of your True-Child,
Christ Jesus. We long for more of his sanity in our politics, agriculture,
commerce, education, recreation and scientific research.
Lord
of the stars, neither by our cleverness nor by our proud strength, but by your
Spirit, shall we inherit that future which you have in store for those who love
you.
Blessed
are you, Joy of the Universe! Amen and Amen!
TO RECEIVE NEW THOUGHTS WITH GRACE
Grant, O
Lord God, that we may wait for the least hint of your will; that we may welcome
all truth, under whatever outward forms it may be uttered; that we may have the
grace to receive new thoughts with grace, recognising that your ways are not as
our ways nor your thoughts as our thoughts; that we may bless every good deed,
by whomsoever it may be done; that we may rise above all party strife and cries
to the contemplation of the eternal Truth and Goodness, O God Almighty who
never changes. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Charles
Kingsley (1819-1875 AD)
VOICES
Great
God of single-minded love, save us from the multiplicity of faces and voices
that crowd our senses and distract our spirits.
From
television sales-smiles or telephone patter which urge us to store up treasure
on earth:
Please
deliver us, saving Friend.
From
the latest, well-marketed guru recycling old delusions and ancient heresies:
Please
deliver us, saving Friend.
From
those arrogant scientists who pontificate on some new theory as if it was
eternal law:
Please
deliver us, saving Friend.
From
the addiction of virtual reality and the bottomless pit of internet
pornography:
Please
deliver us, saving Friend.
From
electronic preachers who have so adapted Christianity to serve the modern media
that it has become mere consumer goods:
Please
deliver us, saving Friend.
From
the much publicised deeds of amoral super-stars who worship nothing but their
own image:
Please
deliver us, saving Friend.
From
those politicians who are advertised as wise, caring shepherds but are in fact
egocentric wolves:
Please
deliver us, saving Friend.
From
an era that is obsessed with information and answers but has forgotten the
basic questions:
Please
deliver us, saving Friend
SEAMLESS ROBE
God
of an all inclusive love,
help
us to see the seamless robe
in
which we live and move.
The
cattle on a thousand hills,
the lilies of the field;
a
mother suckling her first born,
the farmer tilling soil;
sunshine
breaking through nimbus clouds,
and rain storms in the night;
an
athlete training in the dusk
an old man tending vines;
the
desert carpeted with flowers;
an eagle on the wing,
a
pastor standing by a grave,
a nurse’s skilful hands;
the
fish around a coral reef,
wagtails in wattle trees;
anger
against injustices
repentance on its knees;
a bridge
that ends isolation,
a dam that conquers drought;
children
playing in autumn leaves,
a church singing with joy,
the
broken bread that nourishes,
the chalice that renews.
Creating
and redeeming Love
we
reach out to your seamless robe
that
we may touch and live. Amen!
THINGS THAT ENDURE
Loving
God, we who spend our years among innovations and revolutions, give thanks for
the humble things of this continent which preceded our birth and will long
outstay us.
The great rock of Uluru,
rain forests of the Franklin;
moonlight on Gippsland Lakes, tides washing
Sydney harbour;
wild flowers of the West, snowfields of the
South-East,
eagles over Wilpena
Pound, wombats on the Nullarbor plain,
coral gardens of the Barrier Reef, water
lilies of Kakadu lagoons,
the sunrise of each morning, the Cross among
the evening stars.
For
these long-lasting reminders of a Creator’s providence, and best of all for the
Spirit of Christ whose love is more permanent than creation, we the temporary
inhabitants of this land, give you our gratitude and praise! Amen!
TIME OUT
Most
loving God, we thank you that we can take time out from our busy existence; for
opportunities to share those common experiences which have touched the tribes
of this continent for thousands of years:
time to walk in a forest among noble trees
that soar towards the sunlight;
time to sit by a river at dusk and hear the
anthems of kookaburras;
time to explore gravely bushland and kneel
to admire small ground orchids;
time to stand on a rocky headland and watch
huge seas flinging high their
white spumes;
time to witness the powerful grace of a red
kangaroo leaping across a plain;
time to eat lunch under a river gum and
listen to the music of a stream;
time to stand waist deep among wild boronia and inhale its fragrance;
time to venture at night under Inland skies
and marvel at the multitude of
the stars.
Loving
God, we thank you for these profound simplicities by which our anxieties are
quietened, our wonder reawakened, and our spirits are renewed. We celebrate the
Providence which has placed us in this ancient land! Wonderful is your name for
ever and ever! Amen!
LIKE A VIDEO GAME?
Lord
of quietness, when we live frenetically, like figures on a video game, prompt
us to make space for you. Let us long for a little peace, hunger for Christ’s
words, thirst for times of prayer and meditation.
Then,
when all else rushes and glitters and babbles around us, let the overflow of
your loveliness maintain a still centre in our being. From that quiet place,
enlighten our decisions, direct our energies, and cool our overheated
anxieties.
Hallow
all our moments with a recognition of your perpetual Presence and patience; to
your praise and glory. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
CITY LIFE
Here
in this city, God, where we are buffeted by noise and dependent on technology,
it is difficult to have a sense of your Presence. It is as if you don’t exist.
Caught
in our hectic schedules, we become agitated by the late arrival of a train,
irritable with the slowness of an escalator, impatient with the measured
responses of a computer.
We
have lost the art of knowing you as Emmanuel, God-with-us always. So we rush
on, blind to moments of beauty, insensitive to our fellows, forgetting how to
laugh, too busy for prayer, neglecting the grace of gratitude. God of Christ
Jesus, open our eyes to see you and our hearts to love and worship you. Amen!
NEW AGE FARMER
O
new age Farmer
of persistent grace,
plough
and harrow
the barren fallows
of
our discontent
and faithlessness.
Come
by day or night
and sow our paddocks
with
the mustard seeds
of your own faith.
Send
on these lands
the sun and rain
that
falls unstinted
on good and bad alike;
until
the germination
erupts within us
and
the wonder of greening
transforms us all.
You,
new age Farmer,
You alone we worship;
You
who do not need us
yet who take delight
in
the clumsy praises
of child, sinner and saint.
Hallelujah!
COME UNTO ME
Jesus,
our Messiah, we come to your Divinity which lies deeper than the beginning of
the universe. We are drawn to you from the giddying activity of this micro-chip
society, seeking your promised rest for tired and tattered human souls, and
needing the recuperation offered by your Spirit.
O
Child of humanity, O Child of God, in you we find a yoke that liberates and a
burden that is light. You are life, love, joy and peace. You are beauty,
strength, and generous grace. You are the song that is new every morning, the
melody that follows us to the long day‘s end.
Wonderful,
wonderful, wonderful, are you, sharer of burdens and wearer of human wounds!
Glorious is your name for ever and ever! Amen!
*
Matthew 11:28
DON’T WORRY
Loving
God, rescue us from the acidic worries which eat away the serenity of those who
have divided aims. Save us from being bullied or manipulated by the latest
fashions in clothing or computers, food or motor cars, entertainment, housing
or religion.
Return
us to the sanity of trusting you unconditionally. Open our eyes to the beauty
of wild flowers and the freedom of bush ravens, which can do nothing but rely
on providence. Help us to glory in your providential grace and relax our frayed
lives into your immense salvation.
God
of Christ Jesus and our God, garrison our souls with the peace which passes all
understanding For your love’s sake. Amen!
FOR TRAVELLERS
Pilgrim
God,
on those inland journeys
when
our faith
seems a dry salt pan
and
our prayers
a cloud of bulldust,
open
within us
the gift of remembrance.
Stir
our minds
to remember your visitations:
fresh
springs
we found in barren places;
wild
peaches
we enjoyed in a rocky gorge;
the
shade
we sought beside a rock;
a
honeyed tree
growing in desert sands;
the
Stranger
who joined us on the road;
and
the joy that came
from a damper shared
and a cup passed around.
TEACH US
Lord,
teach us to seek you, for we cannot seek you unless
you teach
us, or find you unless you show yourself to us.
Let us
seek you in our desiring and desire you in our seeking.
Let us
find you by loving you, and love you when we find you.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
St
Anselm (1033-1109)
LOVE THAT SURFS
Love;
that
surfs the internet
of
turbulent time
and
says:
You are saved,
become what you are.
Love;
the
first of all loves
and
the final love
wider
than time
that
says:
You are mine,
I have called you by name.
Love;
the
undiluted joy
at
the nucleus
of
each moment
saying:
Come unto me,
I will give you rest.
Love;
the
best wedding wine
kept
until the last
sparkling
hour
saying:
My Cup runs over,
drink all of you.
Love;
the
costly love
exceeding
price
yet
shared by beggars;
that
says:
I am with you always
to the end of the world.
FRIEND OF BOAT PEOPLE
Friend
of boat people, come looking for us in harbours where we hesitate in timidity
and anxiety. Pilot us through the shallows and miseries of indecision to the
deep ocean of faith.
Give
us the wisdom to set our course by the star of Bethlehem and keep our tiller
true. Running with the wind or beating into it, give us the courage of our
convictions. On dark nights when the storm roars, let us hear your voice
saying: “Fear not. It is I.”
Bring
us to that future which is far less than our avaricious wants and infinitely
more than our holiest expectations.
To
your eternal praise and glory. Amen!
SIMPLE THINGS
Keep
us in touch, good Lord, with the enduring, simple pleasures of life. Though we
are cluttered around with plastic surfaces and microchip wizardry, give us an
awareness of the glory to be found in common things:
the smell of the bush after summer rain;
a chuckle from an infant playing on
the floor;
a well earned rest under a shady tree;
the wisdom of the aged, offered with
a smile;
the sound of the surf rolling on sandy shores;
the aroma of scones, newly baked;
a welcome swallow nesting under the eaves;
the feel of warm soil as we plant
seedlings;
a word of encouragement from a stranger;
the embrace of a friend in the hour
of sorrow;
a platypus busy in a clear stream;
an evening breeze at the end of a
hot day;
the juiciness of fruit freshly picked;
the scent of rain after a drought;
a phrase from Jesus in a moment of doubt;
the sight of a table, spread for us,
the fragrance of wine, poured out for us.
Keep
us in touch, good Lord, with your gifts that are old as faith yet new every
morning. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
LIVING LONGER?
I
have come that you may have life, and have more of it.
Father
of the Christ who went where none had dared go before, guide us towards the
fullness of life.
When
the scientific prophets tell us that in this brave century people will be
enabled live much longer, maybe to the age of 150 years, we are uneasy. It that
what you, God, most want for us? For that matter, is that what we want for
ourselves?
Merely
continuing on here, seeing the world repeat its old sins, gives us scant
enthusiasm. Some of us, loving God, are
weary of recycling our past mistakes. We look for a greater redemption than a
delaying of our ageing. We want to treasure that gift of quality-life which
Jesus showed in his ministry and sealed through his death and resurrection.
Merciful
Friend, let us live long or die tomorrow, but please keep us in the upsurge of
the eternal life which has broken into time and embraces us today. This is
life; the real thing! It is joy, peace, abundance! It is immortality! Praise be
your name forever! Amen!
THE OLD THAT IS NEW
We
are grateful, eternal God, for those old Bible words and images which still
speak to us of your bonus-goodness which is always one step ahead of us.
For
the wind, blowing when and where it will, which rustles our curtains at
evening.
For
the impudence of that peculiar faith which asks us to plant a tree in the midst
of the sea.
For
the deep-rooted true vine, heavily pruned so that it may bear much more fruit.
For
special moments when tongues of fire leap in this world’s shame and gloom.
For
the ravens and currawongs who neither sow nor reap yet manage to be well fed.
For
the spring of living water which washes much deeper than the flow from our
taps.
For
the hand holding the lamp which goes searching in the darkness for one lost
coin.
For
the cup, full and running over, which is prepared for the least, the last and
the lost.
Eternal
God, intimate Friend, we rejoice in the unexpected, undeserved, unconditional
love which has nurtured generations before us and will be faithful to all the
generations that are to come. Through Christ Jesus our Brother and Teacher.
Amen.
NOT FAR TO GO
It is not
far to go
for you are near.
It is not
far to go
for you are here.
And not by
travelling, Lord,
we come to you,
but by the
way of love,
and we love you.
Amy Carmichael
(1868-1951 AD)
THE NEW SCIENCE
We
give thanks, ever-creative Spirit, for the new wave of philosopher-scientists
who challenge old secular orthodoxy. We give thanks for the movement away from
the scientific dogmatism of the modern era towards a greater openness and
humility.
We give thanks for those --
who demonstrate that in this universe all
things are inter-related and that nothing is insignificant;
who observe an ‘uncertainty principal’
applying everywhere, with nothing fixed and final in creation itself;
who tell us that all our boasted
‘objective’ experiments are influenced by our subjective human minds and
interventions;
who claim that because of an element of
surprise, what we do today does not exclusively determine tomorrow;
who assert that neither our minds nor our
instruments can ever predict the shape of the future;
who believe that the basic nature of all
things is more like relationship than mechanics;
who warn that we cannot be objective or sit
on the fence, for we are inextricably a part of all that is coming to be;
who suggest that awe and wonder are more appropriate
responses to this universe than pompous pronouncements;
who live their days aware of an elemental
Mystery at the heart of all things.
We
thank you, Spirit of Truth, for this new intellectual modesty. We pray that as
Christians, we may play our part in this emerging scene by listening,
questioning, witnessing, praying, knowing the Scriptures, worshipping, and
humbly serving our neighbours with a humility like that of the Son of God. In
whose name we pray. Amen!
THE BEST GIFT OF ALL
Even
though we can listen to music as it is being played in Vienna, London or Tokyo,
although we can hold conversations with astronauts in space, if these
achievements are without God-love, they remain mere noise. Even though we
should predict the birth of stars, unravel the mystery of anti-matter,
understand every gene, and have a faith that shifts mountains on Mars, yet if
we are without God-love, we are worth nothing.
God our Creator and Saviour, give us
your unique love, that we may be patient and kind, without jealousy or
boastfulness. Replace our selfishness with your love, until our irritability,
resentment and gloating give way to celebrating the saving truth. Fill us with
your love that we may bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and
outlive all things.
God,
we fall far short of our destiny. Our knowledge is flawed, our prophetic
insight is blurred, we are but children looking into a dirty mirror.
Help us, God, to begin to understand you
in the same way as you understand us. Let us really believe (and to trust our
all to this creed) that faith, hope and love are eternal, with God-love the
best of all. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
(Based
on 1 Corinthians, 13)
NOT
INCLUDED IN THE MANUSCRIPT SENT TO OPEN BOOK
COMPOSED IN 1998
SOME
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR POSSIBLE INCLUSION IN THE MANUSCRIPT OF--
JESUS OUR FUTURE
I
consider that at least the litany FOR
OUR NATION should be included.
FOR OUR NATION
Lord of all races and
nations, we thank you for our country and its people, our blessings and our
privileges. By your Holy Spirit lead us through the new millennium with both
humility and confidence.
Though
we are small among the nations, teach us to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.
Move with your renewing
Spirit of in the hearts and minds of our Prime Minister and State Premiers. May
they not only have the will to seek the common good but also the wisdom to
recognise what truly is the common good.
Though
we are small among the nations, teach us to do justly,
love
mercy, and walk humbly with our God.
By your Spirit of Truth,
discipline the minds of those who edit and control our mass media. Give them
the courage to spurn the sensational gossip or violence which tears the fabric
of our society, yet to publish the truth that cleanses and builds up.
Though
we are small among the nations, teach us to do justly,
love
mercy, and walk humbly with our God.
Come with your
compassionate Spirit on all those who help mend the wounds and ills of our
society. Those who reach out to street kids and drug addicts, all who care for
misfits and outcasts, those who tend the diseased and injured, and all brave souls who try to right wrongs
by changing unjust attitudes and laws.
Though
we are small among the nations, teach us to do justly,
love
mercy, and walk humbly with our God.
By your reconciling Spirit,
bridge the gap between city and country, employed and the unemployed, the
wealthy and the battlers, indigenous Australians and more recent generations of
immigrants, the political right and political left, and between the powerful
and the weak.
Though
we are small among the nations, teach us to do justly,
love
mercy, and walk humbly with our God.
Pour out the Spirit of
Christ Jesus upon the congregations of your church in this land. Encourage and
renew your ministers, pastors and priests. Raise up prophets and evangelists of
small ego and mighty faith. Let this new era be a time of opportunity that is
faithfully seized in the name of your True Son.
Though
we are small among the nations, teach us to do justly,
love
mercy, and walk humbly with our God.
Loving God, through Christ
Jesus who strengthens us, we commit ourselves to making this new century a
place where grace, mercy and peace are not in short supply.
In
the all-providing, liberating and revitalising Name
of
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen!
ILLUSION OF ABSENCE
Loving
God, our elusive yet all-sustaining Friend,
in spite of the negative doubters around
us,
we dare to celebrate your glorious Presence!
In
this post-modern world
where the illusion of your absence
is felt keenly by numerous souls,
we praise you for your gifts
that break through to nurture us.
We
give thanks
for the accumulated sanity
of the Holy Scriptures
through which you speak to us
even when our hearts feel cold.
We
give thanks
for the caring communities
of your holy church
where you are present
with encouragement and healing.
We
give thanks
for those special, holy times
when for a few seconds or hours
this world’s illusions crack open
and we glimpse your glory.
Most
of all we give thanks
for the gift of Christ Jesus
planted disconcertingly in history,
making plain your saving love
in the midst of this deceptive era.
Loving
God, elusive but faithful Friend,
in spite of our scrappy faith and love,
we dare to celebrate your glorious
Presence!
Hallelujah!
GLORIOUSLY NEAR AND FAR
Thank you, remarkable God,
for the gift of intimacy made possible through your True Son, Jesus. You are
God-Within, the dearest, closest, deepest, warmest reality of our daily lives.
Without any anxiety, we are able to know you as the Friend who shares our
sorrows and joys.
Yet mercifully, we also
experience you as God-Beyond. We live not only by intimacy but by awe and worship
as well. You are the immense power we cannot comprehend, the shining mystery we
cannot probe, the prodigious love we cannot measure. We treasure the moments
when we become rapt “in wonder, love and praise.”
O glorious Friend,
most-near yet most-distant, through Christ Jesus keep us true to the
contradictions of faith, neither fearing nor presuming. Make us bold yet humble
as we worship and serve you among our neighbours. For your love’s sake. Amen!
A THIRD MILLENNIUM CHURCH
Loving God, great is your resourcefulness!
Your new ideas are past numbering! Your unexpected mercies break through all
barriers!
We thank you that the
church is your creation, not ours. Help us to cooperate with your Spirit in
this new age, so that we may be and do whatever is best in this world for which
Christ Jesus died.
Save us from the twin
dangers of either pathetically clinging to the past or foolishly craving
novelties. Shape us with the Gospel that we may be both conservative and
radical, liberal and narrow, imaginative and prudent.
By the grace of Christ
Jesus, enable us to be enthusiastic in prayer, eager in Bible study, debonair
in witness, cheerful in service, and high spirited in worship.
Should there be times of
outward shrinking of your church, open our eyes to see the new horizons where
your rejuvenating Holy Spirit is at work in power.
In the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
ABOVE ELECTRONIC BABEL
May the Silence of the Most
High
flow around us and within us.
Above the electronic Babel
of this new era,
may the Holy Silence f all upon us.
May the Silence of the Most
High
inform and teach us.
May the Silence of the Most
High
calm and heal us.
May the Silence of the Most
High
lead us to the Incarnate Word,
fill us with wisdom and courage,
and direct our feet in the way of peace.
NEW AGE DELUSIONS
Loving
God, in these days when occult superstitions, “new age” delusions, and
fringe-church excesses, capture the headlines, give us quiet minds and strong
wills. Keep us fixed and final in the saving activity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Nurture
in us the genuine humility of faith. Help us to see that what ultimately
matters is:
not our search for you but your search for
us;
not our knowledge of you but your knowledge
of us;
not our hold on you but your hold on us;
not our spiritual techniques but your
saving grace;
not our love of you but your love of us.
In
the midst of popular new religious fashions and reinvented old heresies, keep
us as “cunning as serpents and harmless as doves”. Through the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Amen!