A Prayer as We Gather: Calm our hearts, Lord. Amidst the encircling daily chaos of broken promises, we crave apostle Paul’s joyful assurance: “God’s gifts and calling can’t be taken back.” May this holy hour find your promises renewed, your claim upon our lives strengthened. Amen. *(Mitchell Simpson, inspired by Romans 11)
Morning Prayer: Thank you, God, for drawing on a larger canvas than our truncated vision. As with patriarch Jacob’s son Joseph, the detested young dreamer sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, may we see in the patterns of our lives a grander plan than we could ever muster on our own. Unveil your mysterious grace, traced through the everydayness of ourcluttered schedules and screens-tethered hypnosis. Free us to see ourselves as instruments of your reconciling love, not mere pawns of some distant deity detached from human suffering. Strip away the old grudges and resentments infesting our memory, and draw us closer to the precious bleeding side of our risen Lord, who loved us so much he gave us words by which we appeal to you, saying …*(Mitchell Simpson, inspired by Genesis 45)
Prayer of Confession: Forgive us, Lord, our exaggerated pride in our own intelligence, the inflated estimation of our verbose opinions. Curb our sharp tongues with Jesus’ reprimand: “It’s not what goes into the mouth that contaminates a person, but what comes out of the mouth from the heart: evil thoughts, false testimonies, insults.” Help us tone down the bitter, destructive, increasingly coarse publicdiscourse spewing from the highest corridors of power. Have mercy on the pitiful insecurities in which our most cruel words fester, and help us to be better than our emotionally crippled, self-appointed leaders. Amen.*(Mitchell Simpson, inspired by Matthew 15)
Assurance of Pardon: I have good news! God is eager to transform us into instruments of mercy, as evidenced by the changed mind and softened heart of Jesus himself, whose initially curt rebuff of a pesky mother pleading for her daughter’s healing finally gave way to his tender, curative blessing. We have it within ourselves to be just such reluctant healers, replacing intemperate judgment with a caring touch and a trusting heart. Thanks be to God for such a hope!*(Mitchell Simpson, inspired by Matthew 15)