Friday Prayer

 

Please pray with me

 

God of arrivals in the most unusual, unexpected, outlandish places (a barn).  God who plots and plans to let shepherds be your public relations team.  God who conspires to drop off the grid after being born for thirty years while Ceasar clamors about being a god and Herod’s anxiety drenches everyone, this is not how we expect You to work in our lives.  Honestly, the script of Christmas seems a little bit far-fetched for our five-year-strategic plans.  The good news we are preparing to fling wide the doors of our heart to on Christmas Eve goes against the grains of other gospels that preach and proclaim in the world today.  Gospels of might makes right and fear and buying our way to happiness and that everything will be better when “our” people are in power.  Good Lord, what are humans that You are mindful of us?  Good Lord, how many times do we need to sing and share the familiar words of “Hope,” “Peace,” “Love,” and “Joy” before we finally let the language of Advent be our guide and grounding everyday of life.  Let the mystery of this season continue to awaken and alert us that You move in unusual ways.  Let the holiness that moves us to stillness and silence continue to open us to the truth that there is more to life than we can control or comprehend.  Let the playfulness and prayerfulness of Your way open us with curiosity and faithfulness to the wisdom that You are not finished yet with us.  God we need more than a little Christmas or holly or rushing/racing to score points, we need You now.  So come, O come, Emmanuel ~ may Your eternal embrace enfold us and hold us ~ as we continue to open our whole selves to Your arrival.  Amen.  And Amen.