09-02-19

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS

September 2, 2019

Prayer for the Week: You love me, Merciful God, you love me. There are days when those words flow with ease, when I am able to believe them and embrace them. There are days, Merciful God, when the convictions of faith do not match how I see myself. There are days when I perceive your love as freely given to others, but not to me. There are days when I have convinced myself that I hold a position outside your merciful reach. How can I love the world you have called me to serve when I do not regard myself as worthy of such a gift. I willingly assign love to others while placing myself outside that circle of gracious favor. How can I reflect Jesus if I do not believe the love of Jesus can pierce the barrier of self-doubt constructed around me? You love me, Merciful God, you love me. Do I believe what I pray and confess? Teach me once again the news of your Gracious Incarnation. Allow me to grapple with the difficult, yet beautiful idea of your unconditional love. Let the power of your Spirit eliminate every condition, every restriction, I or others have imposed upon your love. Let me breathe in your unmerited gift that is not bound by my insecurities or the culture’s favoritism. Let me claim it as I have already been claimed among your beloved. These are my struggles and my hopes offered in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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