Careless prayers
adapted from Words for Worship 2 (90)

 

Sometimes we pray carelessly for transformation.
But at this moment we pray differently.
We suspect how uncomfortable, how painful, how pricey, our transformations might be. 

Will you knock over one of the pillars that holds up the house of our belief?
Will you slip in uninvited, and snatch away the security blanket that no longer comforts us?
Will you take us by the hand and lead us where we do not want to go?
What price will we pay for transformation?
What does prayer cost?

Yet if in wisdom you choose to transform us, 
however reluctant we may be,
however much we may kick and scream and claw,
then we do ask for life. 

We ask for your life--
life that shepherds us beyond our hopes, 
beyond our fears,
beyond the final frontier of death itself.
If you push us into a world of alternate possibility, then please hold our hand and go with us. 

So bless us, not because we deserve it, but because you love us. Amen.

 

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Psalm 19
from The Voice Bible
 

1 The celestial realms announce God’s glory;
    the skies testify of His hands’ great work.
2 Each day pours out more of their sayings;
    each night, more to hear and more to learn.
3 Inaudible words are their manner of speech,
    and silence, their means to convey.
4 Yet from here to the ends of the earth, their voices have gone out;
    the whole world can hear what they say.

God stretched out in these heavens a tent for the sun,
5 And the sun is like a groom
    who, after leaving his room, arrives at the wedding in splendor;
He is the strong runner
    who, favored to win in his race, is eager to face his challenge.
6 He rises at one end of the skies
    and runs in an arc overhead;
    nothing can hide from his heat, from the swelter of his daily tread.

7 The Eternal’s law is perfect,
    turning lives around.
His words are reliable and true,
    instilling wisdom to open minds.
8 The Eternal’s directions are correct,
    giving satisfaction to the heart.
God’s commandments are clear,
    lending clarity to the eyes.
9 The awe of the Eternal is clean,
    sustaining for all of eternity.
The Eternal’s decisions are sound;
    they are right through and through.
10 They are worth more than gold—
    even more than abundant, pure gold.
They are sweeter to the tongue than honey
    or the drippings of the honeycomb.

11 In addition to all that has been said,
    Your servant will find, hidden in Your commandments, both a strong warning and a great reward for keeping them.
12 Who could possibly know all that he has done wrong?
    Forgive my hidden and unknown faults.
13 As I am Your servant, protect me from my bent toward pride,
    and keep sin from ruling my life.
If You do this, I will be without blame,
    innocent of the great breach.

14 May the words that come out of my mouth and the musings of my heart
    meet with Your gracious approval,
    O Eternal, my Rock,
    O Eternal, my Redeemer.