Lord you have wired mercy into our being!
We know intuitively not to harm, whoever we are, wherever we come from.
But even this, this is only the tip of the iceberg.
You ask that we would not only be harmless,
but that we would treat others as we would like to be treated.
As those who love to be blessed we join as one to be a blessing.
As those who love mercy, help us to be merciful to others.
Remind us Lord, that we have life because of your own merciful choice.
May we live out our gratitude, loving others as we have been loved.
Help us to feel what others feel Lord to such an extent that our actions are no longer left "un-checked"
May our judgments be tempered with mercy and empathy.
May we delight in letting people off the hook,
giving people ourselves rather than our animosity.
Because when we come to you your hands are not tightly clenched and ready to strike,
they extend kindness, generosity and support.
Your arms remain open.
Make us like you, more and more.
Amen.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
Lord our appetites leave a lot to be desired.
Create a new hunger within us Jesus, a new thirst,
a taste for seeing the world as it ought to be.
Redeem our desires Lord, shape them with your love.
Help us to love justice,
to long for the deliverance of those exploited,
and liberation for those caught up in cycles of violence.
More than that, help us to love people in such a way that we reach out and embrace.
May just communities that include the powerless and loveless spring up.
May we gather for worthy causes,
may this be our zeal, our obsession.
Ruling over people brings no revolution.
May we come together not for our own strength or benefit,
but to lay down our lives in our commitment to those who are pushed to the margins.
May we join in the plight of others,
May we refuse to remain idle.
Hold us to our prayers Jesus, amen.
Create a new hunger within us Jesus, a new thirst,
a taste for seeing the world as it ought to be.
Redeem our desires Lord, shape them with your love.
Help us to love justice,
to long for the deliverance of those exploited,
and liberation for those caught up in cycles of violence.
More than that, help us to love people in such a way that we reach out and embrace.
May just communities that include the powerless and loveless spring up.
May we gather for worthy causes,
may this be our zeal, our obsession.
Ruling over people brings no revolution.
May we come together not for our own strength or benefit,
but to lay down our lives in our commitment to those who are pushed to the margins.
May we join in the plight of others,
May we refuse to remain idle.
Hold us to our prayers Jesus, amen.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
BLESSED ARE THE MEEK
Lord we act as those completely at the mercy of our passions, our hurts, as if our path is dictated by what happens to us and around us.
We get hurt and then we hurt others.
And we get stuck in this game of who can hurt who the most.
But there is no force, control, or coercion in your nature.
You don't conquer through violence and domination.
You come with an unconquerable love that has the capacity to withstand the greatest degrees of unlove and hostility.
You redefine our ideas of justice.
What is just? What is right?
We learn that cycles of hurt and pain do not make the world a better place.
You challenge us to be angry, but respond in a different way, a higher way, your way.
Teach us forgiveness, help us to show restraint.
Let us in on a strength we barely even understand.
Help us to treat others as we would like them to treat us - especially when they're treating us so poorly.
And may we not stand by when others are being profoundly harmed when we have the capacity to do something about that.
Shape us Lord, Amen.
We get hurt and then we hurt others.
And we get stuck in this game of who can hurt who the most.
But there is no force, control, or coercion in your nature.
You don't conquer through violence and domination.
You come with an unconquerable love that has the capacity to withstand the greatest degrees of unlove and hostility.
You redefine our ideas of justice.
What is just? What is right?
We learn that cycles of hurt and pain do not make the world a better place.
You challenge us to be angry, but respond in a different way, a higher way, your way.
Teach us forgiveness, help us to show restraint.
Let us in on a strength we barely even understand.
Help us to treat others as we would like them to treat us - especially when they're treating us so poorly.
And may we not stand by when others are being profoundly harmed when we have the capacity to do something about that.
Shape us Lord, Amen.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
COMMUNITY MEANS EVERY PERSON PARTICIPATING IN THE LIFE OF THE HOUSE
By now the house has a bit of a life of its own as we have settled into some natural rhythms and practices. We meet on a set night to discuss house matters and make decisions together. We gather each Sunday for reflection and prayer. We each have our nights where we make sure we're home to spend time with the young people in our care and share dinner with them. Having said that there's been a lot that has gone into getting the initiative off the ground and even now there are key areas to not only keep on top of but to see that we keep growing in these areas, using our God-given skills, innovation and imagination. We see these each of these areas as a shared responsibility but we're currently working towards matching people up with roles to oversee as part of the house. We see the following as important areas to maintain and develop:
Community care - ensuring that as a community we're looking out for each other, that we are making space for rest and fun and closer relationships.
Finance and property - making sure that money is coming in and out in an appropriate manner, that the house itself is being looked after properly and our relationship with the real estate agents is being nurtured.
Mission initiatives - being committed to using our gifts and passions to go and bless people and places that God calls us to.
Discipleship - ensuring that we are growing in our faith, letting go of things that don't belong, learning to hear from God more and more
Youth Support - making sure that the young people in our care are supported, safe and feeling at home as they work towards independent living.
Networking and partnerships - building important relationships with those who can strengthen and empower the vision of the house.
Hospitality - creating a genuinely inviting space for people in our homes, in our lives with food, drink, laughter, kindness and celebration.
We make decisions prayerfully and thoughtfully together. We recognise that autonomy creates a satisfied minority at odds with a dissatisfied majority whereas democracy creates a satisfied majority at odds with a dissatisfied minority. We believe that it is only through consensus and every one participating in the decisions of the house that true community can be created. No individual runs the shop. This seems to us to be the best possible environment for encouraging creativity and imagination, initiative and innovation, nurturing and unleashing gifts and passions, taking responsibility and developing leadership.
Pray that we'd continue to love and serve each other in the house in all the areas that we need to attend to, that God would give us inspiration and energy and that as we make decisions together we'd do so in the most loving and faithful ways.
Community care - ensuring that as a community we're looking out for each other, that we are making space for rest and fun and closer relationships.
Finance and property - making sure that money is coming in and out in an appropriate manner, that the house itself is being looked after properly and our relationship with the real estate agents is being nurtured.
Mission initiatives - being committed to using our gifts and passions to go and bless people and places that God calls us to.
Discipleship - ensuring that we are growing in our faith, letting go of things that don't belong, learning to hear from God more and more
Youth Support - making sure that the young people in our care are supported, safe and feeling at home as they work towards independent living.
Networking and partnerships - building important relationships with those who can strengthen and empower the vision of the house.
Hospitality - creating a genuinely inviting space for people in our homes, in our lives with food, drink, laughter, kindness and celebration.
We make decisions prayerfully and thoughtfully together. We recognise that autonomy creates a satisfied minority at odds with a dissatisfied majority whereas democracy creates a satisfied majority at odds with a dissatisfied minority. We believe that it is only through consensus and every one participating in the decisions of the house that true community can be created. No individual runs the shop. This seems to us to be the best possible environment for encouraging creativity and imagination, initiative and innovation, nurturing and unleashing gifts and passions, taking responsibility and developing leadership.
Pray that we'd continue to love and serve each other in the house in all the areas that we need to attend to, that God would give us inspiration and energy and that as we make decisions together we'd do so in the most loving and faithful ways.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN
It would be easy, Lord, to not think about the way things really are.
To live in our little worlds,
Worlds that are safe, protected, affluent.
Surely those who are ignorant are blessed?
Not according to you.
You sound a wake-up call to all those with ears to hear,
Eyes that see,
Hearts that feel.
And your Spirit moves in us, stirring our hearts so that ours might beat in time with yours.
And in the process Lord we feel this discontent, a restlessness.
It's so much harder to accept the present state of affairs.
We become aware of human suffering and we can no longer remain as we are.
As we identify with you we identify with the marginalized, distressed, disabled, and disadvantaged.
Jesus help us to cry out, lament and wail prophetically,
To mourn without being crushed,
And to find hope and see you at work.
Comfort those who have lost much.
Come Lord Jesus, may your Spirit bring life in abundance.
Amen.
To live in our little worlds,
Worlds that are safe, protected, affluent.
Surely those who are ignorant are blessed?
Not according to you.
You sound a wake-up call to all those with ears to hear,
Eyes that see,
Hearts that feel.
And your Spirit moves in us, stirring our hearts so that ours might beat in time with yours.
And in the process Lord we feel this discontent, a restlessness.
It's so much harder to accept the present state of affairs.
We become aware of human suffering and we can no longer remain as we are.
As we identify with you we identify with the marginalized, distressed, disabled, and disadvantaged.
Jesus help us to cry out, lament and wail prophetically,
To mourn without being crushed,
And to find hope and see you at work.
Comfort those who have lost much.
Come Lord Jesus, may your Spirit bring life in abundance.
Amen.
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