2/9/09

Monday Morning Offering - 33


Image: George Mendoza

Good morning, good God!

Yesterday I preached on you and Job
and I’ve been thinking about Job’s faith in you
and how mine measures up to his and, 
well - it doesn’t...
 
I know you don’t compare my faith to others'
but I figure Job’s story is there to teach me something
and it looks like I've got plenty to learn
from Job and his faith...
 
So I offer you this morning
just some of the things 
that get in faith’s way 
in my life, day to day... 
 
I offer you my disappointment
when you don’t do what I want you to do
in the way I want you to do it:
    help me remember
    that you're not my servant
    but that I am yours…
 
I offer you my impatience, Lord,
when you respond slowly to my prayers,
and the doubts I have
when you seem not to hear my prayers at all:
    help me trust that hear you all my prayers
    long before they're on my lips
    and help me see
    that you answer my prayers 
    in ways I miss when I only look
    for the answer I want to hear...
 
I offer you my envy, Lord,
when I fret about not having what others have;
and I offer you my stubbornness
when I refuse to be happy - except on my own terms:
    open my eyes all that I have,
    to the blessings you've given and I've received,
    to the peace and joy that yours to give.
    that you want me to find and to have...

I offer you my hopelessness, Lord,
when I feel that my life's like the wind
and I'll never be happy again:
    help me trust that your love is greater than life,
    that my heart will be restless until I find you,
    that my hope and my trust are never in vain…
 
Help me trust, Lord
    that though I cannot find you,
        you're still by my side;
    that when I feel abandoned,
        I'm held in the palm of your hand;
    that when I'm too weak get up,
        your strong arm reaches to lift me;     
    that when I'm at my most vulnerable,
        you guard and shield and protect me...
 
Draw me out of my self, Lord,
    and into your heart of hearts;
open my heart to those around me
    to share what I have to give... 
 
Help me to welcome you, my Redeemer,
help me to see you with my own eyes,
help me to meet you, to know and to love you,
my Savior, my Lord and my God...

Amen.

  

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

5 comments:

  1. Wow! Does this morning offering have a lot to "offer" us...I really needed this today. I am so grateful to have someone who can put what I am often feeling into words in a way that I am not able to. Thank you CP!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really like this AM's offering, particularly the part that reminds me to open our eyes to the gifts and blessings we have received....and again when you say to open our my heart to the troubles of others. Lots to think about and pray about this morning. Thanks for the reminders!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I usually relate and feel a connection to your Monday Morning Offerings-
    and I am always grateful for them-
    but, this one is somehow different for me.

    I love God so much (too much? is that even possible?)...
    and all I want is to trust and have faith that God is here with me all the time-
    and I want so much to serve God...

    but, I think...

    I don't have faith in MYSELF.
    I am disappointed in MYSELF because I don't know what God wants me to do... and when I CAN'T DO whatever I am supposed to be doing...

    ReplyDelete
  4. ben: You have a great gift of faith - praise God for it! (I'm sure you do.)

    You might want to think about approaching a spiritual director to help you discern what your faith, what your God is calling you to do.

    ReplyDelete

Please THINK before you write
and PRAY before you think!