Wednesday, February 26, 2014

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

Friday, February 14, 2014

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

Thursday, February 6, 2014

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