Father, we confess that we are satiated and bored;
Creation has bored us.
Work has bored us.
Family has bored us.
Friends have bored us.
Our homes have bored us.
Television has bored us.
Redemption has bored us.
Truth has bored us.
You have bored us.
No generation in history has ever had so much to entertain it.
We are jaded and cynical.
We think the world is our servant, so we are not thankful when things go well for us, and we are not patient when they do not.
We believe every desire should be satisfied, so we are not delighted when they are, and we are not humbled when they are not.
We laugh, but do not know joy.
We are captivated , but we are never really awed.
We celebrate, but we do not worship.
We live, but not for you.
Have mercy on us, and forgive us.
Amaze us with grace - blood stained, incarnate, Messianic grace - the Glory of God in Christ.
Though you may not find the entirety of this confession to be true, at the very least a portion has been true of anyone residing in America.
This is a prayer that was printed in a Covenant Theological Seminary chapel service on February 23, 2007. The prayer was written by Rev. Michael Kelly, Green Lake PCA, Seattle, WA.
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Monday, July 25, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
To be, rather than to seem
To our eternal blessing, Jesus was rather than seemed.
During this week between Palm Sunday and Easter, Jesus would have been participating in Passover. Now, in the 21st century, Palm Sunday gets plenty of attention. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are also well known and observed. And of course and rightly so, Easter is the pinnacle of the week and celebrated by the Christian community.
However, in Matthew 11, there is a passage that doesn't get much attention. Over a year ago, Brian Habig taught on Matthew 11:11-25. The title of the sermon is "Becoming What He Prayed For" on March 21, 2010. Click here, find it and listen to it. Whether you love Jesus or are indifferent to him, listen to it.
To summarize the text: On Palm Sunday, Jesus goes to the temple and looks around. Then he leaves the city. The next day, he curses a fig tree and then goes to the temple and drives out the people doing business there. Jesus and his disciples again left the city, the fig tree had withered up, and Jesus teaches his disciples about trust, prayer, and forgiveness.
Sadly, the church is not always what she seems. Praise God, Jesus was content to be rather than to seem.
During this week between Palm Sunday and Easter, Jesus would have been participating in Passover. Now, in the 21st century, Palm Sunday gets plenty of attention. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are also well known and observed. And of course and rightly so, Easter is the pinnacle of the week and celebrated by the Christian community.
However, in Matthew 11, there is a passage that doesn't get much attention. Over a year ago, Brian Habig taught on Matthew 11:11-25. The title of the sermon is "Becoming What He Prayed For" on March 21, 2010. Click here, find it and listen to it. Whether you love Jesus or are indifferent to him, listen to it.
To summarize the text: On Palm Sunday, Jesus goes to the temple and looks around. Then he leaves the city. The next day, he curses a fig tree and then goes to the temple and drives out the people doing business there. Jesus and his disciples again left the city, the fig tree had withered up, and Jesus teaches his disciples about trust, prayer, and forgiveness.
Sadly, the church is not always what she seems. Praise God, Jesus was content to be rather than to seem.
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