A PRAYER FOR FOURTH ADVENT (NT)

Hebrews 10:5-10 (NIV)

5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

    but a body you prepared for me;

6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings

    you were not pleased.

7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—

    I have come to do your will, my God.’”[a]

8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

You are not pleased with our offerings

are you, God

We bring our offering envelopes each week

toss a few bills and coins in the plate as it passes us

support the mortgage payment on the building

give to the homeless shelter when we can

We're there every Sunday

show up at the special services

sing and clap and pray

add a few intercessories during the Morning Prayer

We even served on the Board

helped prepare the budget

wrote our annual reports

We did all we were asked

Wasn't that enough

Wasn't that proper

Weren't you pleased?

You are not pleased with our offerings

are you, God

What is it you want

What will be enough

What will please you?

We already know, don't we God

Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.”

Like Jesus, the One you sent

The One who healed and prayed... clothed and preached

Lived and died and rose again

Who gave everything he was and everything he did

to follow your call to obedience and ministry

Like the One, Jesus the Christ

You call us to heal and pray... preach and clothe

To give everything we are and everything we do to follow

your call to obedience and ministry

Like Jesus, the One you sent

Live for you

Die in you

Rise to live with you evermore

Amen