A PRAYER FOR CHRISTMAS EVE (OT)

Isaiah 9:2-7 (NIV)

2 The people walking in darkness

    have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

    a light has dawned.

3 You have enlarged the nation

    and increased their joy;

they rejoice before you

    as people rejoice at the harvest,

as warriors rejoice

    when dividing the plunder.

4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,

    you have shattered

the yoke that burdens them,

    the bar across their shoulders,

    the rod of their oppressor.

5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle

    and every garment rolled in blood

will be destined for burning,

    will be fuel for the fire.

6 For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given,

    and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the greatness of his government and peace

    there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

    and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

    with justice and righteousness

    from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty

    will accomplish this.

We reach out in the darkness

wondering if anyone is there

The days are

chilly

cold

mournful

meandering

The nights seem

long

lonely

bitter

bereft

We reach out in the darkness

wondering if anyone is there

Our strength replaced by weakness

Our vision altered by blindness

Our candles snuffed out

Our walk reduced to a shuffle

We reach out in the darkness

wondering if anyone is there

We look to the night sky for a sign

We grasp for a hand to hold

We listen for a voice to break the silence

We long for a spirit to renew us

We reach out in the darkness

wondering if anyone is there

Someone is

You, Christ Jesus

You are coming

You are here

You shatter the darkness with your presence

You rejuvenate our lives with grace and love

You counsel us in our losses and fill us with hope

You establish justice and overcome oppression

You inaugurate peace and bring an end to war

You reign with compassion and forgiveness

Hallelujah

Christ is coming

Hallelujah

Christ has come

Hallelujah

Christ will always be coming

Hallelujah

Amen

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

A PRAYER FOR FOURTH ADVENT (OT)

(Dedicated to our Choir leader, Jeni)

Micah 5:1-6 (NRSV)

. 2But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. 3Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. 4And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; 5and he shall be the one of peace. If the Assyrians come into our land and tread upon our soil, we will raise against them seven shepherds and eight installed as rulers.

Come, Shepherd Jesus, come

Save us from the wolf at the door

 and the beasts within ourselves

Gather us up in pastures where we can find rest

and beside waters that nourish and refresh

Remind us "to be still, and know that I am here."

Come, Shepherd Jesus, come

Come and renew our strength

For we are weary

drained of energy and focus

Lift our burdens upon your shoulders

Renew our focus by your guidance

Carry us in your arms

Come, Shepherd Jesus, come

Come and bring us peace

For we have been at war with others

and with ourselves

Still the storms that rage within

Heal the wounded between ourselves

and those we love and who love us

Come, Shepherd Jesus, come

Lead us home, O gentle shepherd

guide us through the wilderness

to a place we know and need

Lead us home, O gentle shepherd

where we can sit and play and rest

beside the fireplace and the hearth

Lead us home, O gentle shepherd

so that are hearts can be fed

by love and family

grace and peace

Come, Shepherd Jesus, come

Lead us home

Amen

A PRAYER FOR THIRD ADVENT(NT)

Luke 3:15-18 (NIT)

15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with[a] water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

We didn't mind the water, John

It cleansed us

Made us feel better

Washed away our sins and shortcomings

The water was fresh...clean...refreshing

We danced in the water

splashed each other

laughed and played in the Jordan

We were alive and happy

We felt part of a family...a group...a movement

Danger was far away

Your baptism brought us together

where no harm could touch us

Now you proclaim another baptism

A baptism of  the Holy Spirit and fire.

No more water

The fire next time

A fire that will burn us

Igniting and blazing and consuming us

all that we are and all that we have

absorbing everything and everyone

Will our souls be singed

Our spirits be kindled in ways

that will frighten and scar us

Shaping us in new and terrible ways

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

It's his baptism, isn't it John

The One who is coming

The One

Jesus Christ, The Lord

His baptism of fire

will set us ablaze

to be a beacon in a world shrouded in darkness

a candle of joy amongst sadness and depression

a torch for peace amidst the slaughter of the innocent

A baptism that gathers

Brings together all who proclaim the Good News

of love and forgiveness

justice and wholeness

A baptism that separates

Winnows out all who demand control

Who practice selfishness and apathy

tyranny and violence

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

O Lord of the Baptism

Come, we pray

Drench us with the Spirit and the fire

So that we may be your candles in the windows of the world

that it may see your life and your words

In our lives.

Amen

A PRAYER FOR THIRD ADVENT(OT)

Zephaniah 3:14-20(MSG)

16-17 Jerusalem will be told:

    “Don’t be afraid.

Dear Zion,

    don’t despair.

Your God is present among you,

    a strong Warrior there to save you.

Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love

    and delight you with his songs.

18-20 “The accumulated sorrows of your exile

    will dissipate.

I, your God, will get rid of them for you.

    You’ve carried those burdens long enough.

At the same time, I’ll get rid of all those

    who’ve made your life miserable.

I’ll heal the maimed;

    I’ll bring home the homeless.

In the very countries where they were hated

    they will be venerated.

On Judgment Day

    I’ll bring you back home—a great family gathering!

You’ll be famous and honored

    all over the world.

You’ll see it with your own eyes—

    all those painful partings turned into reunions!”

        God’s Promise.

We are lost

and cannot find our way home

We have wandered from the joys of marriage

and the richness of family life

We have torn through broken relationships and shattered relationships

We have hurt and been hurt by selfish desires and need for control

We have been scared to show forgiveness and too proud to accept it

Bring us home, Dear God

to the richness and joy that the long and difficult work

that builds and sustains healthy relationships

and wholesome friendships

To learn anew to forgive and be forgiven

We are lost

and cannot find our way home

We are at sea in desires for security and wealth

We fear for our aging, our children, our savings, our health

We waste more than we need...abuse more than we use

We accumulate more than we share

Bring us home, Dear God

Teach us again the joy of giving

to those who need and they that hunger

To give of ourselves as well as our bounty

To sell all and follow you

We are lost

and cannot find our way home

We have taken the the road of warfare

falsely believing it leads to peace

We use drones and RPGs not prayers and petitions

to enforce our will and demand obedience

Nation building in our graven images

Bring us home, Dear God

Show us away the things that make for peace

Enable us to beat our swords into plowshares

and our spears into pruning hooks...

not take up sword against nation,

nor train for war anymore.

Bring us home, Dear God

Dwell among us again

Give us peace

Give us hope

Give us joy

Now and forevermore

Amen

A PRAYER FOR SECOND ADVENT (NT)

Luke 3:1-6  (NIV)

3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

    make straight paths for him.

5 Every valley shall be filled in,

    every mountain and hill made low.

The crooked roads shall become straight,

    the rough ways smooth.

6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’”[a]

Hey God,

He's at it again

Down there at the Jordan

Hoopin and hollerin

like some backwater Bible thumper

from out of the rustic back waters

whoopin up a revival meeting

Do you see how he's dressed Lord

What a get up!

Some sort of camel hair's vest... cloak or whatever

No decent priest or rabbi would be caught dead

in that kind of get-up

living on honey and locust

And God

Did you hear what he was shouting about

Some nonsense about everything being turned

upside down and inside out

backwards and all calliwhompous

Did you catch the his grand finale, Lord

We will all there to see it

Front row seats for celestial blockbuster

Looks like we're invited for the Gala Opening

Wonder if it will get a good review  in the Times?

What's that God?

You sent him

Called him to be your prophet

Called him to go down to the Jordan

and speak to us

to hear the Word

You gave him the message, O Lord

A message that is unsettling but true

A reminder that you are no respecter of

our set ways and preferred arrangements

More of "afflicting the comfortable and

comforting the afflicted" stuff

We should know by now God

That this how you come

How you always come

Lowering the mighty and elevating the weak

Creating fog for the self assured

and guiding the paths of the cripple and the poor

Help us to see it, O God

Open our eyes that we may witness your salvation

May we perceive where you move and where you act

May we so act and so live

that our acts of kindness and mercy

show forth your coming

again and again

Amen

A PRAYER FOR ADVENT 2 (OT)

Malachi 3:1-20

3See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

How can we endure you, Lord Jesus

We cannot last long when you come

We must hide

make ourselves scarce

not be noticeable

We are afraid of your judgement

 we will be found guilty

Guilty of lust and greed

apathy and selfishness

hatred and violence

2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

How can we face you, Lord Jesus

We will confront us with our sins and misdeeds

You will force us to look inside ourselves

see our coarseness and vulgarities

You will make us see whom we have love

and whom we have ignored

You will show us what difference we might have made

but we're too lazy and insensitive

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3he will sit as a refiner and purifier

Jesus, the refiner

You will purify our thoughts

and renew our souls

You will wash away the grime of our lives

and the sleaze in our souls

Your will burn away the crust around our hearts

and wipe the tarnish from our minds

Jesus, the purifier

You will wash us from top to bottom

Cleanse us inside and out

You will bathe us in the Spirit

so we may soar like eagles

You will expunge our warlike affections

and teach us the ways of peace

He will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.

Accept our offerings we humbly bring

May we perform acts of kindness

deeds of love

moments of comfort

words of forgiveness

and offer them up to you

May our very lives

Lived in shalom

Drenched in charity

Founded on love

Be our offering to you

3See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me,

Come Lord Jesus

Come and prepare the way for us to walk

Come and prepare our hearts for love

Come and prepare our lives for discipleship

Come Lord Jesus

Come Now

Come always

Come forever

Amen