We are grateful, O God, but hardly enough.
Yet, grateful we are, for our salvation in Jesus Christ our LORD.
Our LORD and our Savior:
He stood in the face of sin’s onslaught, bore the hatred of the Evil One, tempted in the wilderness to abandon your plan and choose self-interest above our salvation.
But he did not lose sight of your glory, O God!
He did not abandon us in order to preserve himself.
He remained steadfast in his purpose, to go to Jerusalem, and there, in the Holy City, for all the world to see, to release a new energy, a new vision, a fresh wind, to keep the fires of faith burning bright in a world of sin and sorrow.
A new day for Jew and Gentile …
Barriers down.
Bridges built.
Spiritual healing.
Common cause.
That which divided no longer divides.
A new humanity in Christ!
LORD, we remain far away from what should be.
Our hearts are slow.
Are minds are dull.
Our wills perverse.
We are full of ourselves.
Our sin is ever before us when we see the glory of your love in Jesus Christ our LORD.
In his light, we see light.
We see the purity of his power.
The luster of his love.
The depths of his grace.
We are moved, O God, moved to repentance and sorrow for our sins.
And sin, it is, O God.
That we should think and act as we do.
That we should fall so
Far short of you glory, and not even know it half the time, and half the time, know it, and know it full well … and even be proud of our perversity - we call ti cleverness, creativity or conviction, or whatever else we might call it.
A clear and willful violation of your commandments to love:
To love you with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind,
And to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Far too often, LORD, we dilute our love with spiritual laziness.
We cut short our love with impatience.
We ration our love, LORD, as if there weren’t enough to go around.
In this holy place, O God, we’ll not pretend.
We confess our sins and own up to our guilt.
We can do no less, O God, in the grace of Christ our LORD.
Amazing grace, O God.
That we can begin anew, here and now.
That which has been is no more.
That which shall be unfolds for us in Christ.
In Christ, we are free.
In Christ, we have life … now, and forever more!
To you, O God, be the glory … every bit of it!
In the name of our LORD Jesus Christ who taught us to pray, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done …
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