Advent

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

Lectionary Readings for Today:

Isaiah 52:7-10

Psalm 98:1-9

John 1:1-14

Hebrews 1:1-12

We join with Mary and Elizabeth, Ruth and Naomi, and all the women through the generations who have been faithful to you and your call. They are our Water Carriers who birth your new way for their communities. We praise you for the Water Carriers in our community who hold fast to your call, bringing peace, love, joy, and hope into our midst.

Loving Yahweh, thank you for the peace that fills us. Thank you for saving us, and for being our Loving King.

We enter your sacred prayer space, singing songs of love and joy. We are joyful because of how you love us. How intricate, Loving Creator, are the plans you have for us! Forty-two documented, detailed generations in Old Testament times tell stories of how you have guided our ancestors on the Ancient Path that is your Holy Way. You remind us, now, that these, and so many other stories yet to discover, also tell of our personal journeys.

If you have given us freedom, then we are free indeed. Even more, you give freedom to all creation completely! Beyond political, ethnic, religious, or other divisions, your grace covers us all! We journey on your Holy Way, this Ancient Path, seeking equality and understanding, and greeting each other in a good way.

Loving Yahweh, thank you for calling us by the name you gave us, and not the names with which the world labels us. The blessing was not just for Abraham, but for Sarah as well. You promised her, and fulfilled the promise that she would be the mother of nations.

We enter your sacred prayer space to spend time with you. We have been journeying daily together throughout the time of Advent, on your Holy Way, towards your Holy Mountain. Although we know and have experienced so much, we cannot help but wonder about the things you keep hidden from us. We don’t know what we don’t know, but we are afraid to ask. You tell us to ask anything of you, but we are afraid. Even still, you share your vision and promises with us, reassuring us as we journey.

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

Lectionary Readings for Today:
2 Samuel 7:23-29
Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19
John 3:31-36

Your ways are mysterious, O LORD. By your invitation, we journey on your Holy Way, this ancient path upon which our ancestors and great mystics also journeyed. In faith, we step with assurance that you will be with us and our descendants forever, and that we will join with those in the Heavenly Realm in reverent worship for all eternity.

Thank you for being with us wherever we are and living with us. We love and adore you God. We long to show you how we love you. But what can we really do to show you? Thank you for taking delight in our desire to communicate our love for you.