A PRAYER FOR THE 8th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY AND TRANSFIGURATION

A PRAYER FOR THE 8th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

AND TRANSFIGURATION 

Exodus 24:12-18

12-13 God said to Moses, “Climb higher up the mountain and wait there for me; I’ll give you tablets of stone, the teachings and commandments that I’ve written to instruct them.” So Moses got up, accompanied by Joshua his aide. And Moses climbed up the mountain of God.

14 He told the elders of Israel, “Wait for us here until we return to you. You have Aaron and Hur with you; if there are any problems, go to them.”

15-17 Then Moses climbed the mountain. The Cloud covered the mountain. The Glory of God settled over Mount Sinai. The Cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called out of the Cloud to Moses. In the view of the Israelites below, the Glory of God looked like a raging fire at the top of the mountain.

18 Moses entered the middle of the Cloud and climbed the mountain. Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

You want to speak to us Lord?

You want us to climb up to the

top of the mountain

all by ourselves 

You want us to talk to us Lord?

You want us up there in the clouds

where no one can see us

all by ourselves 

You want to teach us Lord?

You want to show us how to live

so we can learn your ways

all by ourselves 

Then

You want us to come down Lord

Preach to the people 

teach them everything you taught us

and hope they will listen

You want us to come down Lord

Show them how to be your followers

demonstrate what discipleship is

and hope they will listen

You want us to come down Lord

Instruct them in paths of righteousness 

learn to pursue peace and justice

and hope they will listen

We will do it Lord

With fear and trembling we will climb the mountain 

and disappear into the clouds

and listen

and learn

and pray

We will do it Lord

We will come down from the mountain

and proclaim to the people

the Word of The Lord

the Good News

the Ways of Salvation

We will do it Lord

with your help

with your strength

with you love

We will do it Lord

Amen

A PRAYER FOR EPIPHANY

A PRAYER FOR EPIPHANY 6

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

15 See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Choices

That is what is before us

Choices

between right and wrong 

good and evil  

love and hate 

peace and war

life and death

You put them before us

asking us to choose

decide

pick one path

one option

one way to live

We settle for choices 

of selfishness and self-centeredness 

which will bring us

power and riches and glory

We have or seek the means

to use ego and greed

to overcome any one

persons or nations

to get what we want

We confess to you

and all of heaven

that we fall to the temptations

for our own desires

We stand before you

O God

deserving divine judgment 

of curse and death

Forgive us and renew us

that we may choose life

choose to give rather than receive

love rather than hate

make peace rather than war

Teach us the paths of righteousness

so we may walk beside our God

and rejoice in your glory

and receive your promises

of life

prosperity

and blessing

Amen

A PRAYER FOR EPIPHANY 5

A PRAYER FOR EPIPHANY 5

Matthew 5:13-20

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

You call us the salt of the earth 

to give flavor to life 

seasoning to bring newness

to vacant and lonely existence

Too often we are just stale

tasteless and plain

deadening any spice that might

give hope and meaning to others

Forgive us, Jesus

for not being the salt of the earth

Renew us and enrich us

so we may invigorate all

whom we touch with love and kindness

You call us the light of the world  

to shine forth in places

of shadows and evil

and break the power of darkness

So often we hide our light 

putting it away to protect it

afraid to cast our beams

across time and space

Forgive us, Jesus

for not being the light of the world

Empower us to cast our light 

to show the lost and lonely

the paths to warmth and caring

Praise you

Lord Jesus

for calling us with being

the salt of the earth

May our every act and word

bring out the best 

in everyone we meet

everyone we know

everyone we love

Praise you

Lord Jesus

for calling us to become

the light of the world 

May our lives and our deeds

being light to those

who have become lost 

and need help in finding their way

Amen