“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing…” ~ Isaiah 43: 18 – 19a. (NIV)
“For now my place is in him, and I am not dependent upon any of the self-achieved righteousness of the Law. God has given me that genuine righteousness which comes from faith in Christ. How changed are my ambitions! Now I long to know Christ and the power shown by his resurrection:
….I leave the past behind and with hands outstretched to whatever lies ahead I go straight for the goal—my reward the honor of being called by God in Christ. “
~Philippians 3: 8-10, 13b -14. (J.B. Phillips New Testament)
Thank you, Holy One, for giving us such promise and hope. You have told us repeatedly throughout history and scattered throughout the scriptures, that you are calling us forward to new life, new beginnings, new ways of being and doing – in You, for You, through You. Yet as ever, we are mired in the trappings of the familiar, however pleasant or unpleasant, and fear of change holds us back. As we reflect on our shortcomings whether personal, national or international, help us to admit our crippling fears and failures, to throw ourselves on Your everlasting mercy and loving forgiveness. Then lead us to a new way of thinking, being and relating to each other and especially to You.
Holy One, hear our cries.
Change and fear of change is sweeping through so many of our countries ]including Algeria, Venezuela, Canada, the UK, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Japan. Authoritarianism and seeing everything and everyone in binary terms increases fear, division and hopelessness. Open the eyes and ears of each one of us, to listen to the stories of others, discerning our common humanity rather than focusing on perceived and often illusory fears born out of ignorance and conjecture. You are the Creator of all and when you looked on it you saw that it was all VERY good. How then can we despise, belittle and denigrate people you have created?
Holy One, open us to Your understanding of this world by the inflowing of Your Holy Spirit.
The darkness swirling around is almost overwhelming: when a “game” is made widely available to play act as a sociopathic Rapist; when the Sultan of Brunei implements this week Sharia law where a first offence of burglary will result in a hand amputation; where LGBT love is to merit stoning to death; when government agencies in so many of our countries arbitrarily operate outside the law: protect all who shine the light of justice, truth and righteousness.
Holy One, lighten our darkness and help us to individually choose to follow Your will and way. By Your Spirit, enable us to be channels of Your love, light and grace.
We give thanks for all working quietly and often without mention to make the lives of others better, to ease loneliness and the sense of being marginalized and unwanted. You saw that all that you made was VERY good. We give thanks for the women in Madagascar marginalized and ostracized for having obstetric fistulas following prolonged labor without medical intervention who, having received free treatment, are helping others break the taboo of getting help. Also those from the divided communities of Turkish and Greek Cypriots using a building in buffer zone to reunite a bitterly divided island. We give thanks that for all the efforts meeting the continuing desperate needs of communities devastated by natural disasters on all Continents.
Holy One, may we become one as You are one – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To this You have called us. AMEN.
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marginalised and ostracised for having obstetric fistulas following prolonged labour without medical intervention who having received free treatment are helping others break the taboo of getting help. Also those from the divided communities of Turkish and Greek Cypriots using a building in buffer zone to reunite a bitterly divided island. We give thanks that for all the efforts meeting the continuing desperate needs of communities devastated by natural disasters on all Continents.
Holy One, may we become one as You are one – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To this You have called us. AMEN.
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