“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” – John 14:2-4 (NRSV)
God of all places, God of all times,
we come to you today,
travelers in your world.
Sometimes we are far from home,
strangers in a strange land,
mystified by the myriad of new sights, sounds, smells and experiences.
And we realize that we are always traveling,
experiencing this world, which is not our home,
with all its sights and sounds and wonders.
We continue to journey, explore, enjoy,
and yet,
we long for our home with you, God.
We are thankful, Gracious One,
that you do not leave us alone, abandoned, forsaken.
Rather you walk with us, on the mountaintops and in the valleys.
We are thankful for stories of hope, like:
- a young woman from the United States, who travels, taking pictures to give to people who might not otherwise ever have a photo of their child, mother, father, or grandparent
- the news that Liberia has reopened its borders and relaxed curfews, signs that the threat of Ebola is diminishing
- the joy of seeing young men and women learn, grow, and mature
We offer to you stories of heart-break, like:
- the families who are grieving the deaths of their loved ones as a result of avalanches in Afghanistan
- the families of those who died at the hands of a gunman in a restaurant in the Czech Republic, and for the family of the gunman who took his own life
- the sorrow of young boys and girls sold into slavery and war around the world
We offer to you, O God, this world that is not our home,
with its joys and heartaches, triumphs and sorrows.
Sustain us as we travel this earth, until you call us to our true home.
Amen.
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