Friday, September 1, 2023

We will walk your Ancient Path with faith that you will forever illuminate the way. Give us clear eyes, so we will see your light and choose to follow you. We look to your salvation and find hope in your promises.

Hallelujah, LORD, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We gather on the shore, in parks and places of worship, and at city halls; we all seek your healing, hope, and compassion. We find you here, in these sacred spaces. We receive food, shelter, and peace. But we also find scorn and judgement from those who think we should just get better and rise above our conditions.

You uphold and lift us when we are weak. Your faithfulness to your promises is complete. You fulfil our desires; you fill us to overflowing. Watch over us always. Protect us from the arrogant and oppressors. We will sing of your love forever.

In the safety of your sacred prayer space, you turn your face toward us and expose the filth of the wilderness within us. We betray you in our own ways, by what we think, do, and by what we do not do. Yet, you choose to clean us and give us a new purpose. We try to understand with human logic, but your ways are not our ways. You invite us to listen and learn from you, and to participate in your mystery.

We once made decisions for our own sake. But you have taught us your new way. We put off our old ways to follow you. Give us your spirit of truth, honesty, and kindness. Give us your spirit of forgiveness, so we will not store-up bitterness or anger towards others. We will follow your ways and journey together in a good way.

We gather in assemblies and at your Beautiful Gate. We greet and are received by many who are also journeying. We are refugees, wanderers, and outcasts; we are established and blessed when we are in your sacred prayer space. We bear witness to your presence as our everlasting God.