Disarm Us

Disarm us, 

 for we come to you with shaking fists.

We don't trust you to care for us,

 especially when we don't prosper.

Help our faith to match your goodness,

                       to see what we yet cannot,

                       to trust without reason,

                       to worship in and with our suffering.

Remind us of all the reasons we have to praise you,

 namely that you, God, are good- and therefore good to us.

In Jesus we know this full well.

In his name, 

 who had every reason to doubt your goodness,

 yet suffered in enduring obedience..

Who else became like us?

Who else is our righteousness?
Who else conquered death?

Who else sits at the Father's hand?
Who else intercedes for us?
Who else is our very life?

Yes, in his name we pray,
(though still needing to be disarmed)

Amen.

Now We Can Rest

The sun went down again-

     But we didn't finish enough,
                           make enough,
                           save enough,
                           sleep enough,
                           dream enough,
                           reconcile enough.

We feel used and abused by our task lists,
and disappointed by those in relation to us.
Doubt creeps in and ruins it all- and you let it.

We chase the wind, day in and day out,
and hope that one of these days it will profit us.
It never does.
The sun always goes down,
and we are often left disillusioned.

If we are honest,
we're not just disappointed with ourselves and others.
We're disappointed with you.

We don't want a Savior in the first place-
especially not a sufferer who went silently to the cross.
Where is his might?
Where is his majesty?
Why is his superiority not clearly seen?
Will he ever transform our friend, brother, daughter, spouse?
Will he ever bring justice to the needy and starved?
Will he ever bring peace instead of allowing war?
If so, when?

These questions arise as the sun falls.



All-sufficient God,

Rescue us from the pursuit of vanity. 

Reveal its folly and your supremacy.

Teach us to marvel at our Savior Jesus-

          who died that we might be raised,

                  suffered that we might be blessed,

                  lived that we might know righteousness,

                  forgave that we might know peace.

Free us to chase none but Jesus,

             to rest in no other. 

We need faith to see that the hungry are filled,

                                        the lame walk again,

                                        the weary are strengthened,

                                        the poor are rich,

                                        the lowly are blessed.

As we see the sun, may we see your Son.

As surely as one comes, so will the other.

Make us glad at their presence,

and teach us to see beyond our current sight. 

We will never do enough.

Praise be to God for not having this demand!

We are free to love and to be loved,

                   to fail and to be failed,

                   to gain and to lose. 

Establish us in the surety of your promises,

and teach us to receive Christ with more hope and joy.

By this time tomorrow, may we see him more clearly-

and with awe.

About to lay our heads down, 

we praise you that all work is finished.

Now we can rest.

Amen.

Tomorrow's Needs are Finding us Today

Father of all provision,

We praise you for caring for our needs, big and small.

Most of the time we take this for granted-

         and our expectations rise.

So thank you for a certain grace today-

         a specific and surprising grace.

The grace in which we see our need for what it is-

         and look to you in desperation.

How sweet it is that you never use vulnerability against us!

No. You revel in the moment to abundantly give.

And you don't just give us arbitrary things-

        you give yourself in flesh and blood.

Give us faith in these times-

        and teach us to take hope in our neediness.

Though tomorrow's needs are finding us today, 

        sustain us in a child's sweet ignorance and peace.

Amen.

     

        

Another Day Ends

Another day ends, and we grumble.

There was nothing spectacular about it-

except that you were with us,

except that you lavished grace upon us,

except that you continued to transform us.

It was an incredible day- we suppose.

Open our eyes, that we may see.

Rescue us from our frivolous pursuits.

In Jesus may it be:

Another day ends, and we praise you.

The Same at Dawn and Dusk

We want to be inspired- and for the inspiration to last. 
We want to accomplish, finish, straighten, organize.
We want to be comfortable, secure, at peace, and loved.
We want to have extraordinary trust and faith.
We want our lives to be honorable, noteworthy.

and isn’t it clear?

We want to earn it-
To see the fruit of our sweaty brows.

If all the inspirational songs cease,
all the to-do lists remain unchecked,
all the hours of the day slip away from us-

What then?
What will be left?

Our Shepherd,

Teach us to work and rest-
as if we having nothing to gain, and nothing to lose.
Teach us to marvel and praise-
for we are loved the same at dawn and dusk.
Teach us to rely and trust-
as a child who works not, yet feasts anyway.

You are leading us.
to fields that are surely green,
to streams that are surely quiet.
And surely, goodness and mercy shall follow us forever and ever.

Amen.