Our God,
The world is more magical, less predictable, more autonomous, less controllable, more varied, less simple, more infinite, less knowable, more wonderfully troubling than we could have imagined being able to tolerate when we were young.
More surprising,
able to operate without us
adaptive,
resistant
robust
fragile
complex
and into this environment, we are.
We live, we grow, we interact, we flounder, we survive, we cope, we struggle, we are.
We are yours.
We are yours, and we are not alone; as those with the capacity to love, we reflect your image to the world.
We bring our cares and concerns, our joys and sorrows, our celebrations and our doubts.
We give thanks for the things that have fitted in to the pattern of life we enjoy.
Lead us into the thanks and praise for the things that don’t fit our pattern but fit yours.
Guide our prayers away from the selfish things to the things that are of the Spirit.
Guide us to prayers that are generous, that are gifts, that are life-giving, that are humble and aware.
The world is more magical and mysterious than we can imagine, so we limit ourselves to our field of vision.
Enlarge our imaginations, roll back the limits to enable us to pray effectively.
We give thanks for your church community here in this place, where we can grow in faith in a loving environment. Bless your churches in this district and wherever your people meet.
For the places where you are not recognised, we pray that your realm would come, and your will be done.
Bless our efforts to be your disciples, and bless us as we offer ourselves as gifts to the world.
The writer, from Hartwell Church of Christ, Melbourne, Australia, references the quote on page 25 of “Falling Upward” by Richard Rohr as the inspiration behind the prayer.
