You scratch out all records of our shortcomings and mistakes. You wash us in your holy streams. You remove every blemish, every hard memory. Such mercies are more than we can comprehend. Give us your grace to focus on your mercies and not on our fears. With joy we praise you!
Loving Yahweh, you are our dwelling place. Thank you, this dwelling place is a divine gift, where we can hide and find refuge in you, where we can find ourselves in you. “In holiness you stand secure through culture’s shifting sands…From everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Brian Doerksen, “Everlasting”).
We enter your sacred prayer space, feeling pressed on all sides. You give us a glimpse of your mighty arms embracing us. Your breath is on our necks. Your lips are upon our ears. We hear you whisper: “I will not allow you to be crushed.” We relax in your embrace.
We praise you for your presence with us. Thank you for mentors, Knowledge Keepers, Elders, and Water Carriers in our community, who check in on us and encourage us. We recognize you in all of them. Thank you for our ancestors who have gone before us and now cheer us on.
Loving Yahweh, you are our God. In the wilderness, we are thirsty and are earnestly seeking you. We are thirsty because we have displaced what we truly need with things that falsely claim to meet our needs. Our addictions draw us away from you and divert our energy to destruction. We pray to you, remembering your power, strength, and might. We are reminded that you love us with unmerited generosity.
We desire your instruction, which leads to wisdom. We are surrounded by true and false prophets who claim to teach your wisdom. It is sometimes difficult to discern truth from lies. But in your sacred prayer space, you invite us to hear your voice and listen to your word. You remind us that your voice can be heard when your prophets speak, and we should get accustomed to your voice.
Today, we invite you to reread, rest and reflect on the prayers of the past week.
Lectionary Readings for Today:
Psalm 70:1-5
Amos 4:6-13
Matthew 24:1-14
We comprehend your voice calling us to stop and listen to our inner thoughts and to the cries of your people. We express grief, anger, and our need for you. We call out for urgent Divine intervention from you; only you can help us.
Loving God, we cry out to you for salvation; hear our prayer. We are helpless, suffering, and we turn to you. You are faithful; you fulfil your word. Save us; heal us.
Your guidance brings wisdom and peace. We are challenged on all sides to follow folly. We feel tempted to defend ourselves and others, to lash out in anger. We feel tempted to force our assumptions and agendas. But with you, in your sacred prayer space, you repair our hurtful attitudes. You protect us from these temptations and provide a path of peace.