Sunday, August 20, 2023

We, your beloved, come to spend time with you, Loving Yahweh. In life, there are circumstances where our choices are “no win” situations, and we are helpless to those in power. Looking at the circumstances, we see pain, helplessness, and heartache. We turn to you; we see your light that takes us out of the darkness. You are in the mess, mixing everything together for goodness. Thank you for being with us in the pain.

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.

We pause under the Faith-marker of Fig Tree’s blossoms. We place all faith in you. In your sacred prayer space, we confess our struggles to bear good fruit. You examine our hearts and replace our dead wood with new shoots.

Today, we invite you to reread, rest and reflect on the prayers of the past week.

Lectionary Readings for Today:
Psalm 119:33-40
Ezekiel 33:1-6
Matthew 23:29-36

Our God, who hears us, thank you for answering our prayers. Your forgiveness covers us and brings us into a relationship with you. We, your blessed children, are filled with joy and wonder as we see and experience your goodness all around us. Thank you for bringing us close to you.

Your love and mercy know no boundary. Praise to You, O LORD, because you are with us in our journey, opening doors only you can open. Thank you for our guides, ancestors, mentors, and companions on this journey who share their spiritual gifts with us, spurring us on. May we bring honour and glory to you, as we continue on this faith journey, encouraging each other along the way.