Prayer

 

God promises to all who trust in the gospel forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace, the presence of the Holy Spirit in trial and rejoicing, and eternal life in that kingdom which has no end.

 

God of promises from rainbows at the time of Noah, to a holy comfort preached by Isaiah, to Jesus embrace for all, meet us today.  Our lives are full of moments when we have said something we’d like to take back and shove in our mouths; times we laughed at someone; and talked about someone behind their back.  There are times we wanted a mulligan, a rewind button, and a do-over.  God, remind us that forgiveness is offered as part of the renewal, restoration, and reconciliation each new day.  God, You join us in seeking righteousness and justice, living with You and inviting others to participate in Your liberating love.  You give us courage to course-correct our lives.  Open our ears to listen and let You guide our minds, hearts, souls, relationships, community, church, gatherings, and whole life.  God, give us openness and willingness to be inspired by You today.  And help us notice the Spirit who is there in the highs, lows, and just so-so’s of every day.  Let us seek and share Your realm that is here and longs to be more fully established every day, this day, with You leading the way.  Praise and glory to You, O God, our rock and redeemer.  Amen.  

Statements of Faith ~ Spirit

 

God bestows upon us the Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races. God calls us into the church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be servants in the service of the whole human family, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil, to share in Christ’s baptism and eat at his table, to join him in his passion and victory.

 

Whoa, this is a mouthful…perhaps too much for one morning meditation.  Yet, I think part of what the above is saying is that the Spirit fuels and feeds the church.  As heady and wordy UCC people, who never met a committee we didn’t love…who then voted to form a sub-committee for good measure, I am not sure where we land with the Spirit.  I am not sure where you land with this beautifully elusive and evasive part of God?  The Spirit, for me, is the part of God that brings play and prayer together.  As serious, somber people who love to sing our ditties and dirges about the solemnity of church as we tell the children to quit running the church and being so loud, maybe we don’t trust the Spirit?  Maybe the Spirit left the building with laughter and joyfully making mistakes from which we learn.  The Spirit is that part that seeks to make a joyful noise (Psalm 100) and lament when we feel forgotten by God (Psalm 22).  Maybe the Spirit is the emotive part of our faith?  For me, the Spirit is the thread that connects us all together.  The Spirit is the spacious part of the Sacred that helps us find unity in diversity, which is so countercultural in our world today.  What is provoked in you from the above?  When have you felt the Spirit?  What does our theological textbook called “a hymnal” say about the Spirit?  Let loose your wild imagination today to see where the Spirit ministers, who can be gentle/soft/ whisper to your soul as well as sing out with gusto, to your life this day.  Amen.